Black Bird
by Sirana
Summary: I knew I wasn't too bright, but I didn't think I'd be so stupid as to forget everything! One day I woke up in a coffin without a clue in the world as to who or where I was! My first goal was to explore who I used to be but the more I tried, the scarier it became...now I can't go anywhere without being recognized and I'm starting to think I should have left the past in the past.
1. Darkness

**Hi all! This is my first LOTR fic so here we go! **

**Also, if you know me from reading my OHSHC fics, I'm taking a break from those...but I hope you enjoy this one! I'm really happy with it!**

* * *

Darkness…smells like mahogany. Yep, this seemed like the pace I needed to be.

…Hold on… My eyes shot open and I looked around to the wood surrounding me. It was very tight in the little box and breathing was hardly easy. Small lights flickered in through cracks of the wood and I could hear a muffled voice in the distance. I slammed my hands against the top of the box and began screaming for help which caused the voice to cease their discussion.

"GET ME OUT OF HERE!" I shouted over and over again as my hands splintered as I tried to escape.

Through the cracks of the box, I saw a shadow moving around my box. I heard the jangling of keys, a lock click, and my wooden prison was flung open!

"What the hell…" the girl muttered in shock.

She was one of those cute ginger girls, around seventeen. She had curly red hair, and her face was dotted with millions of freckles. I guess I could've seen worse when the top of my little box was opened.

"Oh thank God!" I gasped, wheezing in fresh air as I sat up.

I took a few moments to breathe when I noticed she just kept staring at me!

"Is something wrong?" I asked.

"Y-y-y… You're supposed…" she stuttered in shock.

"I'm supposed to be what? I don't even know where I am or who I am," I chuckled.

"Dead! You were DEAD a few minutes ago!" she wailed, "How are you alive?!"

It was then that I realized, I was _surrounded _by coffins. Coffins were scattered all over the little room I was in and I had just popped out of one. Not to mention I realized I was stark naked! The girl shakily handed me a cloak which I thankfully covered myself with.

"I was dead?" I asked cautiously.

"Yes," she breathed in response, "Your body was hanging from the pillar in the town square. Your eyes were gouged out, nose slit, hair ripped out, and flinger nails gone,"

"…Well…thank you for that morbid description…" I muttered in shock then looked at her closely, "are you sure?"

"Yes! I wouldn't lie about something this!" she exclaimed then looked closely right back at me, "But your accent is strange and you have a lot of sass. Where do you hail from?"

"Hail from?" I asked then laughed, "I just woke up from being dead! I don't even know my own name!"

"Oh…you mean you don't remember anything?" she asked.

"No!" I repeated.

"Ok, I'll tell you everything I can tell about you," she said holding out a hand, "Come,"

I took the girl's hand and stepped out of my coffin, careful not to trip over any others.

"By the way, I'm Shalen," she said as she led me out of the room of dead people.

Shalen sat me down in her kitchen, lit a fire, and handed me a cup of tea. She still kept looking at me as if she was dreaming but anyone would if they saw a supposedly dead girl spring back to life! Then she sat down next to me and continued to study me as if to say 'are you sure you're not a ghost?'

"So, what do you know about me?" I asked, trying to get her attention.

"Oh!" Shalen gasped, snapping back into reality, "Right…Well, two days ago you came into town, you barely spoke a word to anyone except a stable boy who boarded your horse…"

"Wait, I had a horse?" I interrupted.

Shalen only nodded and continued, "Then you disappeared for a while until that night you broke into the governor's house. You were caught stealing his silver and…That's when they tortured and killed you. Your body hung in the town for another day before they let me take you down and prepare you for burial,"

At this, I just couldn't find what to say! Learning you were gruesomely tortured then hung is rather frightening and I was no exception.

"I did all that?" I finally asked in a terrified whisper.

"Yes,"

At that, I just felt shock take over and I blacked out.

MreeOOOOOw!

"Gah!" I screamed as I woke from the ground which I had collapsed.

By now, it was morning and it looked as if Shalen just left me lying on the ground from where I fainted the night before. I also noticed a black cat, meowing like a demon, dart past me and jump out a window.

"Oof!" I grunted as I felt a foot step on me.

"Oh, sorry…uh…dead girl…not sure what I should call you," came Shalen's voice.

I shakily stood to my feet, still trying to cover my body with the cloak she lent me. When I fainted before, I had expected to just wake up where I was supposed to be and remember who I was. I had half thought that the previous night was only a nightmare, the ones you dream when you've read too many horror books before bed.

"I'm trying to catch my cat," Shalen sighed, "Damn feline, I caught her nibbling at the corpse I got this morning and she's gotten off with its ear! Oh what am I worrying about, wait here, I'll get you clothes. By the end of today, you can have your horse and be out of here,"

"But I'm an outlaw right? I was caught stealing," I called as she left the room.

"Yes but I met with the sheriff this morning and he told me you've paid your price: death. You have clean slate from now on. I can't say that most people have that kind of opportunity," she called back from the other room.

That was very convenient! Shalen came back into the kitchen and handed me a tight fitting tunic and pants. They still left me with plenty of room to move around in of course, at least I wasn't stuck in a tattered dress like herself…no offence. Once I had squirmed into my new outfit, Shalen handed me a pair of weird looking gloves.

"The sheriff said you were wearing these. Sorry you had to use my clothes, apparently your torturers burnt your old ones," she said as I carefully took the gloves. They were strangely bulky, almost as if they weren't meant for my hands and they had some kind of metal inside them that was somewhat uncomfortable.

On one hand, it had engraved in it a strange pattern of symbols and other was no different.

"Do you not recognize it?" Shalen asked as I looked up from my gloves, "It's elvish,"

"What?" I asked, "What's elvish?"

"You don't even remember anything about your land, Middle Earth?" Shalen asked hopelessly.

"Middle Earth?" I said curiously, "Is that where we are?"

"Yes, there are elves here. The snobs think highly of themselves just because they're swifter and can live longer than the other races. Bastards are immortal until you kill them…" Shalen spat, for the first time showing spite.

"I take it you're not fond of them," I said.

"No but I can speak enough to translate what's written on each glove," she said, then held out her hands, "May I?"

I handed her the gloves and she studied them for a few moments.

"The left says 'tooth' and the other 'claw'," Shalen announced, "Or as pronounced in elvish, 'karka' and 'rakka',"

"Impressive," I mused, "Do you know any other languages?"

"A bit of Dwarvish," she giggled.

MREOOOW!

"Damnit, that's my cat!" Shalen shouted as she pointed out the window, "I should at least make an attempt to catch her,"

Something about that cat on the roof outside just compelled me. I felt as though the outside world was calling my name, saying 'come, use me as a resource'. My eyes darted from the window to the roof where the cat was perched and my feet began to move.

"What are you doing?" Shalen asked but it was too late.

I had bounded through open window and was scaling the house next door. Every jutting piece of wood was a step and ever sliver of ledge was a place to grab. I scrabbled up the wall and reached the top. Pouncing at Shalen's cat, it darted off and began jumping to the next roof!

"Come back, pussy!" I shouted playfully.

I heard gasps from below as I took a massive leap from one roof to the next, chasing the black feline through the town. Now it may have been my insane acrobatics or it was the fact that the town thought I was dead. Either way, I was attracting a lot of attention! Every second I came nearer and nearer to the sprinting cat, until it decided to throw me off. Shalen's cat made a quick turn and ran straight across a clothes line and onto another house too far for me to jump to.

"Wow!" I exclaimed as I faltered before the line.

_I don't know… _I thought. _Could I make that?_

I looked up to the cat. She was staring at me from across the line and seemed to be mocking me with her piercing green eyes.

"Yeah, I can make this," I smirked and took off across the line.

I was shaky at first but about midway to the other roof, I began to speed up, my feet balancing carefully and quickly on each bit of rope.

"Gotcha!" I screamed as I dove for the cat from the clothes line.

Except…the cat decided to leap away at the last second. I slid straight over the roof and the next thing I knew, I was falling! And this wasn't a little house either.

* * *

**Just an introductory chapter to the world our mysterious main character has entered. Let me know if you like it!**


	2. Dead Girl

**I'm so glad I already got a reviewer! Thanks, IAmAFantasyFan!**

* * *

"Aaaaaaaaah!" I screamed the entire time I fell which was for quite a while!

In fact, it was too long, even for the tall building I was on! When I stopped screaming and opened my eyes, I saw the ground below where a large mob of onlookers crowded around. Yet, I seemed to be suspended in midair, no longer falling. As I searched the crowd for someone who was willing to help, I saw Shalen push through.

"Dead girl!" Shalen shouted to me, "It's alright, look at your hands!"

Slowly, I looked up, to see my hands, clinging for the wall to dear life! But it wasn't some super-human-hand power that saved me, but the gloves I was wearing. Tooth and Claw had saved me! Metallic claws had jutted from them and dug deeply into the side of the building, preventing me from falling any further.

"I think I know how those gloves work!" Shalen continued, "Whatever you do, don't un-flex your…"

"No, no, no!" I screamed as I felt my gloves give way and I plopped straight to the ground with a THUD.

"…hands…" Shalen finished.

Shalen helped me up and as she did, I looked around at the crowd. They were all whispering things about me and it made me very uneasy.

"Do they find it shocking that I'm alive?" I whispered to Shalen.

"Well of course but it's not only that," she whispered back, "Those leaps, that dexterity, your skills; they're that of an elf's!"

"You mean that race you described as 'snobbish'?" I asked.

"Yes, the snobby ones with the pointy ears," Shalen laughed, "Come, dead girl, let's get you back,"

"But what about your cat?" I asked as we pushed through the crowd.

Shalen only laughed more at this, "She's had her dose of excitement for the day, dead girl,"

"You should call me something else besides 'dead girl'," I chuckled as we walked.

"Well what should you be called? How about something that matches your black hair? Nocturna?" she suggested.

"A bit obscure," I retorted.

"How about something to match your green eyes? Calen?" Shalen tried again.

"Hm. I like it," I smiled, "Then I'm Calen…wait, that rhymes with your name!"

Shalen only winked at me and skipped on ahead of me.

"Hey, you meant to name me that!" I laughed as I chased after her.

Shalen and I decided to be partners. One moment she wanted me to saddle up and leave and the next she was begging me to stay. She would let me stay with her and eat her food if I took mercenary jobs and gave her the money I was rewarded. My skilled acrobatics came in handy when fulfilling mercenary jobs and the pay wasn't half bad. While I lived with her, Shalen taught me about the culture of Middle Earth and even taught me a bit of Elvish and Dwarfish. We tried to look for clues on restoring my personal memories but it always ended in a dead end. The two of us also searched on my heritage, to see if there were any traces of Elvish in my family. Something had to have been passed down to give me my great dexterity! Of course, we found nothing. Shalen and I lived about half a year like this until one day.

The sun shone brightly on our little town and I spent the morning bounding across the roofs, nearing closer to Shalen's house. When I reached her roof, I jumped off, felt my clawed gloves dig into the side of the building, swung my body, and sailed straight through her kitchen window!

"Boo!" I shouted as I landed.

Shalen about dropped her breakfast in shock!

"Oh my goodness! Gave me a worse shock the day I found you!" Shalen gasped, catching her breath.

"Sorry," I laughed, "I got some mail for you, and some money from my last mercenary job,"

"No one can stop you and your gloves, can they?" Shalen mused as she took the letters and coins from me.

"'tooth' and 'claw' are just the best outlaw hunters around," I bragged, showing off my Elven gloves.

Shalen only rolled her eyes and began going through the letters. When she had her back turned, I pecked a bit off her meal until she let out an exclamation.

"Oh my!" she squealed.

"What?" I asked, breathing down her neck to see what was so special about the letter she had.

"I completely forgot!" She continued to say in delight.

"What?!" I asked again.

"A few years ago I won a bet and got a wonderful horse," she explained, turning to me, "I didn't have the money to board it so instead I put it up for breeding. To my surprise, some elves from Rivendell wanted it! It must've been one rare horse. Anyways, that was years ago…I never thought I'd hear back from those immortal snobs,"

"So what did they say?" I asked excitedly.

"They say that they've bred my horse and have gotten a filly. And because I have custody over it, they're giving it to me!" she exclaimed happily, "And with the money you've been making me, I can board it!"

"That's wonderful, Shalen!" I smiled, joining in with her celebration.

"Oh wait…" she said, her face dropping, "You know those bandits you caught a week ago?"

"How could I forget, most cowardly bandits Middle Earth's ever known," I laughed.

"Well they're scheduled to hang tonight…and well…there are fourteen of them," she explained uncomfortably, "I'm the undertaker so once they're dead, I'll be working on all fourteen bodies…"

"I can help!" I suggested.

"No!" she said rather hurriedly, "I mean…dealing with dead, heavy bodies is different than tracking down living ones. Why don't you go to Rivendell and get my horse for me?"

"Me? Wow…" I breathed.

Since I moved in with Shalen, I had heard all kinds of stories about Elven cities. By people's descriptions, they were truly breath-taking and I had been itching to ever since. However by Shalen's constant complaining about elves, I wasn't too sure if I was eager to meet them. Shalen gave me a map and directions to the Elven city and I left at once. I still had the same horse that I had since I first came to the town. Because I lost my memory and I never told the stable boy the steed's name, I couldn't remember what he was called.

So I decided to give him a menacing name of Mearrokko, meaning 'gore horse' in Elvish. He was a dark brown stallion with black legs and a white blaze on his forehead. By losing my memory, I also forgot most of my horseback skills. It had taken me the entire half of the year to relearn everything about horses and by then, I had gotten the basics down. Mearrokko and I rode out of our little hole-in-the-wall of a town and rode off to a much more prestigious settlement. I had taken long mercenary jobs before but the journey to Rivendell was a few days. It was boring if anything else and I found myself beginning to talk to Mearrokko!

About the third day into the journey, something peculiar happened. My horse was just trotting along the path when I felt the road underneath us begin to rumble. It felt as if a stampede of horses was headed straight for us! Mearrokko sensed it too and cantered off the main road on his own accord. I left him far off the trail and decided to investigate the sound. I watched from a well-hidden bush as nine black riders, black as night, flew past me, they were hooded and cloaked with horses that made mine look like a foal. I felt the coldness of death that I had felt about half a year before. To feel that disgusting premonition of not existing was disturbing and these riders brought it in their wake.

Finally, I snapped out of my terrified state, realizing they were long gone. How long had I just been crouching there, letting the riders' aura overtake me? I felt Mearrokko nibble at the back of my neck as if to ask 'are you ok?' I only stroked his head, my breathing still shaking after my encounter. With that, I carefully trotted onward. The entire time, I kept my green, cat-like eyes open for any dark horse riders. Whoever they were, they didn't seem friendly. That night, I barely slept a wink. As always, I lay against my horse who had laid down on the side of the road. I just kept waiting for those strange horse riding monsters to come storming down the pathway. Morning came, luckily without any black riders. I could tell you about the rest of my journey but it's only about me trotting through the woods, making sure I didn't see another black horse. When sunset began to seep into the sky, I noticed the forest become more and more tranquil. The trees were less rugged and they swayed in the wind happily. The atmosphere seemed so much more peaceful and tranquil for whatever reason. Yet I also felt a strong warning coming from the nature around me.

I was used to climbing trees with Tooth and Claw, jumping across limbs to stalk my prey but these trees seemed to tower over me. They seemed to say 'This is peace. Do not disturb it or else'. I took the hint that the elves wouldn't take kindly to strangers digging daggers into trees to scale them roughly for killing's sake. Mearrokko, like the trees, also seemed much calmer and even more relaxed as we strolled through the Elvish woods. From what Shalen taught me about elves, I knew they were very connected with the natural world and with animals themselves but I never believed just the presence of them could do such a thing!

If the serenity of the forest wasn't enough, then the city of Rivendell took my breath away. The structure of each building and each pillar was so intricate, representing the beauty of the surrounding foliage. The pointy-eared people matched the beauty itself, looking content and one with the nature around them. Their little city didn't seem like a city but rather the forest bending into the shape of a settlement for its companions. Not one edifice seemed to be disrupting the peace of the woods in any way.

"Miss,"

"Huh?" I snapped out of my poetic day dream.

I realized I had zoned out for a while and was now standing in the entrance to Rivendell. I dismounted my horse to meet an Elvish girl wish auburn hair. Despite all the bad things Shalen had muttered about elves under her breath, so far they seemed pretty nice (little did I know what was coming)!

"You must be Shalen, I was informed you were arriving to redeem your horse," she said in a friendly voice.

* * *

**R+R please!**


	3. Immortal Snobs

**Just couldn't resist to upload chapter 3 so quickly! The adventure and conflict start now! Also, shout out to LadyThunderstorm, a first time reviewer.**

* * *

"Oh no, I'm her…messenger, Calen," I said, handing her a piece of parchment, "Here's a signed letter from Shalen though,"

The girl looked over the paper for a few moments before nodding, "Come with me,"

By telling her I was some messenger seemed to have made her colder towards me. Perhaps a bit suspicious.

As I led Mearrokko with me, I noticed the tranquility of the Elven city was not at its best. I could tell peace was trying to be maintained but there was a look of urgency in some faces and others walked in a quickened pace. I couldn't help but think of the dark riders I had seen earlier.

"I am Kireth, by the way," the girl said, "I am the horse master of the Rivendell stables,"

"You look after the horses by yourself?" I asked looking at the large stables as it came into view.

"No, but I am the best at communicating with the creatures," she explained, "And anything I say goes, goes in the stables,"

Kireth seemed to know she had power over her little domain of horses and she definitely let it show. As we entered the stables, all the stable hands snapped to attention. Even their usual Elvish calmness was completely shattered as Kireth walked past them all, eyeing each one. Mearrokko was led off by one of them, and he seemed very content to be with a race that knew how to communicate with him so well. Finally, Kireth led me to a stall at the end of the row, with a white horse spotted in brown in it.

"Here, the offspring of Vayla," Kireth said, gesturing to the young horse.

"Vayla?" I repeated as I studied the filly.

The elf only looked at me strangely and said, "Vayla, Shalen's horse that she sent to us for breeding,"

"Oh, so that's what she named it," I shrugged, "Well Vayla's daughter is quite a healthy horse,"

"Yes…" Kireth mumbled, looking me over with a cynical look on her face.

I just looked at her awkwardly, not sure what to say because I had no idea as to why I seemed so suspicious to her.

"Um…well, I guess I'll just be taking Shalen's horse," I said carefully.

"Uh, n-no," Kireth said hastily then paused, "…It's not safe to be on the roads at night,"

"Oh, that's right," I said, looking out a window, noticing how the sun had almost departed from the sky.

"Wait here, I'll see to it you have a room prepared," Kireth said and rushed off.

So far, the elves had proven to be quite friendly, despite what Shalen had told me. As I waited, I looked down at the little grey filly. It looked back up at me with huge, wondrous eyes. The horses that were in Rivendell seemed to have a much more human-like feel to them, as if they could understand human emotions. Probably the elves' ability to interact with animals. So I just stood there, watching the filly…and I stood there, and stood there. Wait, how long had I been standing there?! I snapped to and noticed the crescent moon out the stable window, realizing how late it had gotten. The stable had also cleared out, leaving me all alone with the horses and even the urgent feel I had felt before had died down. But where was Kireth?

**Grab. **A firm hand was placed on my shoulder, making me whirl around in surprise.

Two Elven soldiers, bows in hand, stood before me, looking rather official and stoic.

"Come with us," One said.

"Why?" I asked defensively, feeling for Tooth and Claw, only to remember that they were in Mearrokko's saddle bag.

The one only responded by yanking me out of the stables and leading me into the heart of the city.

"What do you think…" I tried to say as they pushed me through the quiet streets.

"You speak when spoken to," one of the soldiers said, cutting me off.

"Well you did just speak to me," I sassed only to feel a firm knee hit my spine.

"It'll be an arrow that hits you next time," he said stridently.

_You were right, Shalen. _I thought in misery. _Elves are just immortal snobs._

Still completely confused about the whole situation, I was led down into a dark room where I was shoved down onto my knees before a much more authoritative looking elf, he was probably a general. Instead of speaking (I learned my lesson), I just stared at the new elf maliciously.

"Is this the girl you spoke of, Kireth?" the elf asked as another elf stepped out of the shadows.

Kireth.

"Yes," she said, looking me over.

I only looked at her in shock and offense, I had really thought that she was a friend!

"You're not very good at lying," the elf general said in disgust as he looked down on me.

"What?!" I asked in bewilderment.

"Forgery in an attempt to take a girl's well-earned horse," the general said, pulling out the message Shalen had given me, "You didn't even know the name of the filly's mother, how could you possibly be a 'messenger' sent by Shalen,"

"Shalen never told be the horse's name!" I tried to explain.

He only ignored me and continued on, "The attempted horse theft, however, would pale in comparison to your next crime,"

_There's more!? _I thought.

"We found these in your horse's saddle bag," he said, pulling my Elvish gloves from the shadows.

I heard one of the guards that held me down gasp.

"Tooth and Claw," I breathed, "Those are mine!"

"They never were," the general hissed at me, making me flinch, "These were Lord Elrond's two years ago, priceless antiques, until they were stolen by someone who was never seen. A thief so stealthy that no one knew what he looked like…or she. We never thought the More aiwe (Elvish for black bird) would be so stupid as to walk right into Rivendell, practically offering herself up,"

"Why do you call me a black bird?" I asked.

I was responded to with a harsh slap on the face, making me head spin! All I wanted was to pick up a horse and go home! How did I end up in such an awful place?!

"Do not play dumb, More Aiwe, or as you more commonly known, The Raven," the general shouted, "You have stolen from far too many Elvish lords and you've given Rohan many visits as well! Now you will end here in Rivendell!"

"Please, just listen…" I began to say to tell them my story of amnesia.

"After the council, Lord Elrond will decide your execution date," he said with a raised voice, cutting me off.

"You're going to kill me?!" I whispered in shock, feeling tears come to my eyes.

He only scowled at me and gestured for them to take me away. Despite the fairness of the city of Rivendell the small dungeons were like rat holes. They looked hardly used and had tons of spiders scaling the walls. I sat at the tiny window of my cell, trying to come to terms with what I had just heard.

Shalen had told me that I was executed for thievery in her town but I didn't know I was such a legendary thief! I had no clue that I was once an enigma to Middle Earth known as The Raven, a burglar so sneaky that no one had ever caught her in the act. It seemed so strange that such a ruthless, independent outlaw had just woken up one day as helpless little Calen, without a clue in the world. At least I knew where I got my acrobatics and Elvish gloves from. I remembered the first day that I discovered my talent, how the earth asked me to use it as my resource. It was only then, sitting in that cold jail, that I realized that is the way nature calls to a thief.

It says shamelessly, 'come and use me', 'be my master', 'take whatever you want', and 'regret nothing'. Hugging my knees to my chest, I put my head down and started crying, thinking of my imminent death. Half of me wanted to accept my execution, knowing that I still had yet to pay my ultimate price to the elves, but another half (my thief half) said, 'Run! Look for a way out!' Two voices were screaming in my head!

'Run!'

'Die!'

'Run!'

'Die!'

I stayed this way the whole night, hearing the voices rage on, wondering which path I would choose.

* * *

**R+R! In the next chapter, she meets the Fellowship!**


	4. Caught

**For some reason, didn't update my story to the top of the list when I posted chapter 3. Hopefully this will work.**

* * *

Run. That was the path I chose. I guess I just couldn't shake my thief instinct. By the time the sun had barely poked its head up, I was already frantically surveying my surroundings, looking for something to say 'use me'. I had already seen that the barred window was too small to squeeze through and that a guard was stationed around a corner, judging by the shadow cast on the wall. Finally, a little bird landed outside my cell window, pecking at the stone. This time, it spoke to me. Viciously, I grabbed the bird as it squawked and I plucked a feather the size of my finger from its wing. Screeching for its life, it wriggled its way from my grasp and flew out the window in a flurry of feathers!

Carefully, I began to fiddle with the lock and feather, gingerly listening to the tumblers in the lock. Click, click, click, click, **click.** The door slowly opened with a creak and I made sure to keep an eye on the guard's shadow. Luckily, it remained motionless. The thief instinct did not leave me, it kept urging me on to escape as I tiptoed through the prison halls. I finally found my things stowed away in a little trunk by a window and I quickly slapped them on: my cloak and hood and Tooth and Claw were what I missed most. Unsheathing my gloves' curved blades and putting my hood up, I readied myself for a desperate escape.

With the wings of a crow at my feet, I leapt from the window and landed silently on a roof parallel from where I jumped. As I snuck across the rooftop, I looked down below, and luckily something was distracting everybody from my escape. It seemed that a group of nine very different individuals was leaving Rivendell and judging by the crowds, they looked to be very important. One looked like a wise wizard, two of them were men, another was an elf, another a dwarf, and the rest were little people. At the time I shrugged the four off as midgets because who has time to analyze a new species when you're trying to escape almost inevitable death? Without another thought, I flew from the roof and let myself fall until I felt Tooth and Claw dig into a column. Climbing it as fast as I could, I soon reached the top and sidled my way over to the next one.

From there, I could just barely leap to the wall where I could make a run for it. With a bit of difficulty on the smooth walls (seriously there were barely any stones jutting out for me to grab onto, you'd think the elves strive for perfect architecture! Oh wait…) and pulled myself to the top. Big mistake: there were at least four Elven guards posted up there. Thankfully, they were focusing on the leaving party, whoever they were, and without hesitation, I did a quick roll to the end of the wall and took a jump! Unsheathing Tooth and Claw and letting them dig into a tree, I let myself slide to the bottom and breathe. I had to keep my labored breaths quiet though as the group of nine was passing by. I hadn't the slightest clue as to who they were but I did know one thing. Out of all the things I had heard, of all the things I had seen that called to my thieving mind, one called the loudest. It said, 'Use me and you will need to use no other. I am the ultimate power, the one that rules them all.' How could I, with the mind of a burglar resist such a call?

Creeping through the forest after them, I started my journey. It took me until sun down, when we had left Rivendell far behind that I realized what I was doing! Here I was, following nine complete strangers just because I heard a call! How insane was that?! If I got caught, how would I explain it?! But when that strange power called me, all time seemed to pass and the darkest part of my instinctive mind took over. The strongest part of The Raven inside just took control and brought out every agile skill I could think of. Whatever it would take to get that power. Once again, I had let time slip by and the next thing I knew, it was night. I snapped out of my comatose state of greed (What was causing me to hunt them like a corrupt beast?) and surveyed my surroundings as I always did. The group was asleep, all but one who stood watch: the elf. Trying to keep my breathing quiet, I looked for a better place to hide. Knowing the impeccable senses of elves, I would easily be caught if I didn't find a better hiding spot. A little hole between some roots spoke to me the most and I dove into that. Finally, I let reality reach me and I remembered. I was now a wanted outlaw to the elves! I could try to make it back to my village but by now they would've discovered I was missing and I believed the first place to look would be my village. I also remembered that I had left poor Mearrokko in the hands of those elves and I shuddered at the thought of him being auctioned off as 'The Horse of The Legendary Raven'. And I would be lucky if I ever got to see my beloved Shalen ever again.

I can say this, I had not expected to end up in such a pitiful state when I was sent out to retrieve a horse. That night, I slept with one eye open, my avarice for the mysterious power keeping me from resting in full. From there, I trailed the group through the forest and into rugged terrain with wide open spaces. This made it very hard to stay under cover but somehow I managed. I followed them past ruins of old but my stealth could not protect me forever. It was in broad daylight when the travelers were passing by cliff, overlooking the valleys below. I thought that the numerous shrubs and rocks were enough to hide me but I was unaware that the strange power was pulling me dangerously close to them, alerting the one with the sharpest of ears. How could I have not noticed that the pointy-eared one wasn't in the group anymore? How did I not hear the fox-like steps that slowly inched closer to me?! How could I have been so foolish?!

**GRAB. **A firm hand fell upon my shoulder and shoved me to the ground! I let out a grunt as a foot was placed firmly on my stomach which reminded me of my first morning after waking up. After a second of trying to focus again, I saw an arrow just above my face and to my left, a sword pointed for my neck. I followed the arrow to a bow which led to the long arms of an elf. Like most of his kind, his hair was long, blonde, and braided slightly. When I followed the sword at my neck, it met the sturdy arms of a man with a face that seemed rugged yet important. His long black hair made it look like he had lived in the wilds for so long but something in his eyes told me that he was meant for something much greater.

"I felt someone following us since we began this journey," the elf said harshly to the man.

"Who are you?" the man asked demandingly.

I considered using Tooth and Claw to wriggle out but I knew they would kill me in an instant of trying. Besides, Tooth and Claw spoke for me and when the two saw them, their eyes froze.

"Where did you get those?" the man asked, entranced by my Elvish gloves.

"The Raven…" the elf breathed.

_Great. Now they know who I am. _I thought. _How could I have been so stupid as to think that I could leave my identity behind?! Certainly people would recognize me, The Raven, by Tooth and Claw, priceless antiques stolen right from under Rivendell's nose! Then again, I can't just get rid of these gloves, they speak to me and are my best weapon._

"I would've never guessed that the legendary thief who stole more treasures to feed a colony to be a woman," the man said in disgust, "Nor that she would be caught so easily. Why did you follow us?"

I looked to the elf and back to the man, looking for any slight weakness that spoke to me. Even the others who were now watching didn't speak to me either, except for one. One of the little people, with a chain around his neck. Whatever hung from that chain was the thing that called me. Now it was shouting louder than ever, 'I am your greatest resource. With me, you can become the Raven Queen. Use me.'

"Answer me!" the man shouted, moving his sword closer to my neck and snapping me out of my trance.

"Something of great power called me," I said simply.

At this, the elf and the man exchanged glances and the little person moved his hand up to the chain around his neck.

"Of course they would send a thief to retrieve the ring," the elf scoffed.

"Who's 'they'?" I asked.

The elf looked back to the man. The man nodded and I felt the elf's foot come off of me and I was free to get up. Cautiously, the man lowered his sword and the elf did the same with his bow.

"Do not think of running yet, thief," the man said, "This is Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood and he can shoot down a sparrow from miles away. You'll be no different than shooting a naked turtle,"

I looked at the blonde elf who returned my glance with a menacing glare.

"Tell Sauron that no matter what he does to try and stop us, the ring will stay with us and will be brought to Mount Doom, even if he sends one thousand thieves," the man said, "And we'll be having those antiques back, they belong to the elves,"

I just stared at them all with a desperate and miserable look, the kind that you have when you have a really bad day. Running wouldn't do me any good with princey pants to shoot me down so I was left with giving up my best resources and retreating. How could I give up Tooth and Claw? Besides Mearrokko, they were the only things left from my past; even if my past was a disgraceful one.

"Amnesia," I mumbled with a cracking voice as I took my gloves off.

The two looked at me strangely as if they didn't quite hear.

"What?" the man asked.

"Who the hell is Sauron!?" I yelled as I threw down my gloves, "Up until now, I didn't know of a place called Mount Doom! You ever just, wake up and forget EVERYTHING! Then all of a sudden everyone's at your throat saying, 'By the stars, she's a wanted thief, kill her eight times over!' Ask me ONE thing that The Raven did and I swear I won't have the slightest idea!"

Everyone in the group seemed to be taken aback by my outburst or tantrum if you want to call it that. For a few moments, all was quiet and everyone kept their eyes on me, not knowing what to say.

"What did The Raven leave behind after every heist?" one of the little people asked, stepping forward. It was the same one that the strange power emanated from.

"I left things behind?" I asked exasperatedly, "Why would a thief do that, isn't that evidence?!"

"She could be lying," the man whispered to the elf.

"She's not," the little person said, coming closer to me, despite the protests of the others.

He looked up at me with small eyes of understanding and I looked back. Besides Shalen who I could sadly, hardly remember, they were the first compassionate eyes I had seen in a long time.

"I really think she does not remember. One would not blindly follow after this…," he said, pulling the chain out from under his jacket, revealing a ring, "…If she wasn't lost. She doesn't know where to go,"

For some reason, his kindness made me slightly look past this so called 'ring' that they had mentioned. Although it still called to me now that it was directly before me, the kindness helped me fight it.

"Frodo!" the man hissed, "It is not wise to dangle something so precious before a thief!"

Shakily, I rose my hand up to the Frodo's hand and slowly moved it down, bringing the ring out of my sight. If I was going to have any chance of getting away, I'd need to prove my resistance to the power of the ring. Finally, he put the ring back under his jacket, leaving only the chain showing around his neck.

"I'm sorry I followed you here," I breathed, "I'll just…"

"As a debt to the elves and your forgotten years of crime, you will travel with us in the mission of destroying the one ring," he announced.

"What?" I breathed again.

"What do you think you're doing?!" the man called to him.

"I believe she doesn't remember anything, The Raven wouldn't be this obvious if she hadn't," Frodo replied, turning to the group, "And if she truly has forgotten then she is lost. This journey may help her find herself,"

I just looked at the short person in awe. Since I had gotten to Rivendell, no one bothered to give me a chance!

"Besides she has to repay her debt," he continued but I could tell that was only an excuse to have me come.

Just then, the three other little people ran up to Frodo, backing him up.

"What the Ring Bearer says goes, goes," one said defensively.

"And I think it would be rather fascinating having a legendary thief in the group," said another excitedly, "We even heard of her in the Shire!"

_Shire? _I thought, racking my mind to see if I had ever heard of such a place before. _Oh yes! I remember Shalen showing it to me on a map when she retaught me about Middle Earth. She barely mentioned it, saying little people called 'Hobbits' lived there…_

"Gandalf, you cannot possibly allow this," the man said desperately, turning to a grey wizard.

"The Ring Bearer has made his decision," he said with a smug smile, "And I happen to know amnesia when I see it,"

I smiled back at the old man, Gandalf. I already liked him.

Another man in the group with short brown hair and important looking status seemed to open his mouth but a dwarf shot him a look.

"As Gandalf said, the Ring Bearer has made his choice," he said stubbornly.

Whatever this 'ring' was, it seemed to give a lot of power to the little hobbit. I assumed it was a good thing that he had taken a liking to me.

* * *

**Next time, we get some Crebain!**


	5. Raven's Name

**Sorry for inactivity. R&R**

* * *

"And what is the name of the legendary Raven?" a voice called.

"Hm?" I snapped to after being deep in thought about my newly found companions.

We had been walking for about a mile by then and someone had finally decided to approach me. The voice had been the man's who had put a sword to my throat just a moment ago and now he was questioning me like an old friend.

"I honestly don't remember if I had one, but I call myself Calen," I replied, "But I hardly know any of your names,"

Many of the travelers including the elf, dwarf, and the men exchanged glances of concern. What was I going to do? Steal their names? However, the little hobbits were eager to give their names to a legend.

"Peregrin Took!" one piped up, "Or you could call me Pippin if you like,"

"Meriadoc Brandybuck," another chirped up at me, "Or Merry,"

"And I'm Samwise Gamgee but of course Sam is alright too," another said.

The one called Sam seemed to look at me in awe more than the others as if legends were what intrigued him the most.

"You already know my name but I don't believe I've properly introduced myself," Frodo said with a smile, "Frodo Baggins,"

"So you're all hobbits? This is the first time I've seen such a creature of…" I stopped trying to find the right words, "…shortness and stubbornness,"

The four laughed at this, making me smile for a change.

"I believe you are overlooking another _short _and _stubborn _race," a low and gruff voice spoke up.

I looked over to see a dwarf, red beard and a giant axe, staring right at me.

"And you are?" I asked him smugly.

"Gimli, son of Gloin," he announced proudly, "And I do not recall a legendary thief known as The Raven,"

"The Raven was far too clever to rob the dwarves," the black-haired man laughed, "No one would ever dare to try it, not even her."

_Sounds about right. _I thought, remembering what Shalen had taught me of dwarves.

"Then she is no legend to me," Gimli laughed making me stifle a laugh of my own.

Then a soft hand was placed on my shoulder and turned to see the old wizard.

"Gandalf the Grey," he said simply yet with kindness in his eyes.

Now, one of the men had started warming up to me, and he too decided to give me is name.

"I am Aragorn," he said with a slight smile, still giving away that there was more to him than meets the eye.

Well I had gotten seven out of the way and that left the only two who still showed suspicion: the prince and the other man. The elf just kept walking, not looking back at me and I believed it was because he had already been introduced to me…well as the elf who would shoot me down if I tried to run. Just one more now.

"Boromir," the last man said and that was all.

I could tell we would not be getting along on this mission. Now all that was left was to figure out what the mission was all about!

"So…what is this mission we're going on and what is the 'ring'?" I asked awkwardly, fumbling with Tooth and Claw.

Everyone turned to me with surprise in their eyes, even the stoic elf and the calm wizard.

"You mean to tell us that you do not know of the Ring of Power, the One to Rule them All?" Boromir asked in shock.

"I woke up a few months ago without a clue in the world, I barely knew what elves or dwarves were," I sighed.

Thus, Gandalf launched into the history of the one ring. How it was forged in Mount Doom and caused one of the greatest wars in all of Middle Earth. I was told how it could corrupt people so easily which explained how it called to me and of our mission to destroy it once and for all. By the time I was well informed on the history of Sauron, we were setting up camp for the night. When the question was asked as to who would take watch, I considered volunteering but I knew none of them would sleep if they had a strange thief guarding them in the night. So Aragorn to the watch while laid down for some well-deserved rest and for once in a long time, slept with both eyes closed.

We traveled on after that, the hobbits telling me of the legends they had heard of me which of course I couldn't recall. According to them, I had once stolen six of Gondor's best horses without a trace but my signature raven feather left behind. As they tried to jog my memory I noticed the same two people were still as cold as ever towards me. Whenever I wasn't looking, I could feel one of them watching me. As we traveled on however, Boromir became more and more taken by the ring's call and began to forget about me. However, the elf did not and it made me uneasy just to be around him. Speaking of the ring, it still called to me but by walking so close to Frodo, I learned to resist it a little better, trying to concentrate on the ring bearer rather than the ring itself.

By walking with Frodo and his the little friends, I learned more about the Shire and it seemed like quite a pleasant place to settle down. This dream was soon wiped away when they told me most hobbits' wariness around 'big folk'. At one point, the wizard decided we should stop so that he could plan out the rest of our journey, we needed a good break anyway. I sat with Frodo in Sam as we watched Boromir give Merry and Pippin lesson in sword fighting. All the while I listened in on the conversation Gandalf was having with Legolas and Gimli. Any conversation that elf was in I had to listen to, I couldn't let my guard down around him.

"We must hold this course west towards the Misty Mountains for forty days," Gandalf said, making me shudder at the thought of forty days under the annoying eyes of the prince, "If our luck holds, the gap of Rohan will still be open to us. From there our road turns east to Mordor,"

It sounded like Gandalf had a solid plan but I soon heard Gimli speak up with an idea of his own.

"If anyone was asking me opinion, I'd say we were taking the long way 'round," he protested to the wizard, "Gandalf, we could pass through the Mines of Moria,"

That made me shudder. Shalen had taught me about the mines and how the dwarves went to take it back but there was never a word if they had won or not. It was a rather simple summary of its history but it was all I could learn in such a short amount of time before going to Rivendell and being imprisoned by immortals! I also felt an itch in my brain that seemed to itch more and more at the thought of a Dwarven mine: so much precious ore, gold, silver…

_Snap out of it! _I thought horridly. _I need to keep my thief senses in check!_

"No, Gimli. I would not take the path through Moria unless I had no other choice," Gandalf replied gravely.

Just then, Boromir swung his sword too sharp and hit one of the hobbits by a hair. At that, Merry and Pippin clobbered him playfully as they all laughed. I couldn't help but giggle at this myself and when Aragorn tried to intervene, the two little people gave him the same treatment! All was fine until everyone turned to a strange cloud in the distance.

"What is that?" I asked.

"Nothing it's just a whistle of clouds," Gimli shrugged it off.

_Something tells me that's more than just a cloud. I don't think they usually move that fast…nor do they have tiny wings inside them…_

"Crebain from Dunland!" Legolas shouted.

I had no idea what Crebain were but judging by Aragorn's order to 'hide!' they seemed like unfriendly creatures. A little nook between two rocks told me to use it so I squeezed in as far as I could until I couldn't be seen. A second of quiet passed before the flock of black birds swarmed around the area. Their squawks and screeches were disgusting and made my ears ring as they circled around us. Wings flapped in every direction but they didn't seem to see me as they flew past my crevice. A soon as they came, they were gone, and everyone slowly emerged from their hiding places.

"Spies from Sarumon," Gandalf spat, "Our passage south is being watched,"

And by the time I was taught who Sarumon was, we were already heading for a different route, up a chilly path.

* * *

**Just a chance for Calen to introduce herself to the Fellowship. Next chapter, they go into the Mines!**


	6. Into the Mines

**Get ready for some cute ship moments in this chapter**

* * *

The higher we went, the colder it got and wasn't accustom to such freezing temperatures. Finally the hobbits could barely get through the snow and I was wading up to my shins. At one point, I found myself towards the back with the elf. Silence kept us from bickering but I started to notice him glancing at my gloves from time to time.

"What is it?" I finally asked in an annoyed tone.

"It is nothing," he replied coldly.

"Good. If it's nothing then maybe you can stop staring at Tooth and Claw," I sassed.

"You talk as if they are your own," he shot back.

I wasn't quite sure how to react to that. They were indeed not mine but yet I didn't want to let them go. They were all I had left now that Mearrokko was gone.

"They _are,_" I dared to say and he looked at me with fury in his eyes so I decided to rephrase, "…all I have left,"

"I should think you would want to forget about your past. It is a dangerous one," he said carefully as his hand moved closer to claw.

I drew Claw before his face, almost unsheathing him but I thought better of it. However, the elf had seen enough, I was still a thief who wouldn't let go of her precious treasure. He just looked at me as if to say 'I'm watching you' and then headed to the front of the group.

I had no more encounters with him but soon Legolas became the least of my worries. The clear skies turned to grey ones and we were suddenly wading knee-deep in snow as a blizzard raged around us. The hobbits could barely stay above the snow and Gimi was just as bad off. I seethed in jealousy as Legolas easily walked on top of the snow while I trudged along. It took me a while before I noticed he was giving me a strange look and kept glancing down at my feet. When I followed his gaze to my feet, I saw that they were above the snow as well. It seemed that my Elvish dexterity also let me walk upon snow. The prince's face was priceless as I walked with ease through the blizzard as he did.

Can't blame him, a human girl walking like an elf.

_Ha, he hasn't even seen me when I run. _I smirked.

We all believed the snow storm would pass but it kept coming and then we realized, it was not a natural phenomenon.

"There is a fell voice on the air," Legolas called over the storm.

I could hear it too but just barely. It sounded like some kind of incantation, something that egged the storm on.

"IT'S SARUMON!" Gandalf shouted.

Just after he yelled, there was a large CRACK from above and we looked up to see boulders of snow and rock heading for our path. They barely skimmed past us, making us all jump back and duck in fright.

"He's trying to bring down the mountain, Gandalf!" Aragorn called, "We must turn back!"

"NO!" Gandalf resisted as he tried to carry on.

The voice carried on, making the wind harsher and the snow colder. Finally Gandalf tried his own sort of chant to counter Sarumon's spell but it only seemed to make the White Wizard more determined! Then, when the chanting became its loudest, lightning struck from above, causing snow and ice to topple down! I watched in horror as the cold quickly took me and the rest and we were buried under the frigidness of Sarumon's hatred. More of it fell, pounding away at me until I could breathe no more.

_I am not dying AGAIN! _I thought and began to fight my way out.

My body fought the numbness trying to consume me as I dug through the many layers of white above me.

_AIR! AIR! _I thought as I felt my lungs burned for fresh wind (Even if that wind was a biting one)!

As my hand shot through the last layer, a hand grabbed mine and pulled me out from under the snow. I looked up after a few heaving breaths to see Aragorn who was now trying to get the hobbits unburied. When we had all clambered out from under the avalanche, the ever common debate began again!

"We must get off the mountain!" Boromir shouted to Gandalf who was still digging himself out, "We can take the Gap of Rohan!"

"The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard!" Aragorn shouted back.

"If we cannot pass over the mountain, let us go under it!" Gimli suggested for the hundredth time, "Let us go through the Mines of Moria!"

Gandalf only looked into the distance, desperate for another way. After a silence filled with howling wind, he spoke.

"Let the Ring Bearer decide,"

"We will go through the mines," Frodo finally said, deciding and sealing Gandalf's fate.

It was back down the mountain for us. Back through snow and cold but I guess it could've been worse: we could've all died in Sarumon's blizzard. The days it took to get from the peak of the mountain to the mines were silent. Everyone seemed spent from the storm and even hopeless, as if the mines weren't safe. Most of all Gandalf, he had a look of doom painted on his face for some reason. I was led to believe that the dwarves had taken back Moria…unless…

"The walls of Moria!" Gimli exclaimed at the sight of craggy cliff.

They were very impressive and I couldn't even see the top of them! But…was there a door? That question was soon answered.

"Dwarf doors are invisible," Gimli explained as we searched the walls for this hidden entrance.

"Their masters cannot find them if their secrets are forgotten," Gandalf sighed in annoyance as he continued to tap the walls with his staff.

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Legolas murmured, getting an irritated growl from Gimli.

_That was uncalled for. _I thought. _Even if elves and dwarves hate each other, that was still unnecessary!_

I would've given the elf a death glare but he was in front of me which tempted me more to just stab into his spine. Going through an underground space with an annoying elf would be the death of me! Eventually the wall led us to a murky lake and it was before that unsettling lake that Gandalf found the door. The stone glowed, revealing an intricate pattern of trees and above them was Elvish read the Elvish aloud, 'Speak friend and enter'.

"What does that mean?" Merry asked with a confused face.

"Well it's very simple, if you are a friend, you speak the password and then you enter," Gandalf said simply.

_Wise old man. _I thought slyly.

He put his tangled staff to the door and spoke a few Elvish words…

…_Well maybe not that wise…_

He tried once again…

…

In a sudden frustration, the old man tried to push the door open as a last resort. But of course, the Dwarvish door wouldn't open through mere force.

"What are you going to do now?" Pippin asked.

"Knock your head against it!" Gandalf snapped at the hobbit, making me stifle a laugh.

"And then we'll try you!" Gandalf snapped at me as well, "You have a debt to pay so pay it by keeping quiet!"

I muffled my laughing and nodded, realizing how angry a wizard must feel when his wits aren't enough to aid him. So we all got comfortable because we would be there for quite a while as Gandalf tried every spell he ever knew!

"I do not like this…" I whispered to myself as I watched the water.

"You will once get inside," Gimli chuckled, "We will all be welcomed heartily by my kin!"

"Not the mines, the water," I replied, scanning the ripples on the surface.

Aragorn sensed it too as he ceased Merry and Pippin from throwing rocks into the lake. Something about it called to me but it a different way. It said 'use me' but I couldn't use a lake, it was almost as if it were calling me into a trap.

"I feel it too," Legolas said as he stared out on the water.

Finally we heard Frodo speak up.

"It's a riddle…what's the Elvish word for friend?"

"Mellon," Gandalf spoke and a rumbling came from the doors.

Slowly, they opened revealing the darkness of the mines but I could barely focus on that. The water grew more and more restless: something was in there and it didn't want us in its territory. As we entered Gimli was rambling to us about the Dwarven hospitality but I could barely hear. Now my worries had shifted from the lake to the ground beneath us. Every so often, I'd feel a faint crunch under my feet, something that sounded of bone. When Gandalf lit his staff, I could confirm my suspicions.

"They're all dead," I breathed.

It was then that the rest of the Fellowship noticed the bodies, Gimli being effected the most. He was grief-stricken to see his kind's skeletons lying with mouths agape on the mine floor. They looked very old so it was safe to guess they had lost to a greater power long ago. Legolas yanked out an arrow from one of the ancient bodies and immediately recognized the craftsmanship.

"Goblins," he scoffed, making us all draw our weapons.

"We never should've come here," Borimir said as we slowly backed out of the mines, "We make for the Gap of Rohan. GET OUT!"

We would've made a clean escape if it weren't for the beast that awakened from the water.

"Strider!" Sam called making us all turn to see Frodo being dragged off by a large, wet tentacle.

"I knew it," I hissed.

Sam severed the tentacle as quickly as he could and the tentacle retreated into the water. But there was more where that came from. At least a dozen or more shot out from the water, seizing Frodo! I followed Aragorn and Borimir into the water to cut down the tentacles and I unsheathed my gloves as far as they could go, making my claws as long as half of a short sword. The three of us sliced away at the creature, Tooth and Claw sliced straight through the whip like arms as I tried to inch closer to Frodo. At last, the beast's head emerged and it opened its fang-filled mouth to swallow the Ring Bearer. If that thing ate him, the ring would be lost in the belly of an octopus!

Aragorn sliced the tentacle that held Frodo and Borimir was there to catch the little hobbit.

"Into the mines!" Gandalf shouted and we all made for the door.

Legolas shot the animal once more, keeping it at bay for a split second. Still, it was long enough for us all to make it in! He wasn't moving with us and I grabbed the back of his collar, yanking him in and taking him by surprise. The beast's many arms banged against the walls, shaking the ground and making us run faster. Finally, the ceiling above caved in behind us, saving us from a watery demise but locking us in the darkness of Moria. When the last boulder fell, blocking the moonlight, there was a sudden darkness and we all stood there, breathing heavily.

"We have now but one choice," Gandalf said, making a light with his staff.

When it illuminated the cavern, I noticed a hand on my shoulder that I followed to Legolas who stood behind me. I turned to him to see a terrified look on his face then when his eyes met mine, he quickly removed his hand. I couldn't even roll my eyes because I looked at him with the same scared expression.

"We must travel through the mines of Moria," Gandalf continued, making us break eye contact, "Be careful, there are fouler things than orcs in the deep places of the world…"

* * *

**Please review (unless you didn't like it of course...)**

**Next chapter, we get to see some mithril!**


	7. The Killer Within

**Thanks to TwistedTongues for their constructive criticism, it rly helped ^^**

* * *

It would be a four day journey to the other side and the atmosphere didn't help our spirits either. Every one great bridge or staircase was eroded away into rugged masses of stone and where there should've been the lights of dwarves, was darkness. As I walked, everything spoke to me at once. Even the things that I couldn't see wanted me to use them as a climbing tool. They all told me how vast the mines really were and I soon felt my head ache from all the voices in my head.

"The wealth of Moria did not come from gold, silver, or jewels," Gandalf explained to the party, stopping the voices, "But in Mithril,"

We all looked down to see a bottomless pit filled with mining equipment that had been abandoned. Now the rocks, the dangling hooks and chains, the jutting pieces of wood, and now the call of the mithril made my thief head spin. It all shouted at once 'USE US!' I let my green eyes be absorbed by the greed to use it all and to survey every crevice for left over mithril. There was so much that wanted me to use it, too much, I had to use it all. Even if it killed…

**SNAP**. I blinked back to reality with a gasp, seeing that a hand had snapped before me. Turning, I saw that the group had moved on and Borimir stood next to me with a cynical look. He just kept staring with every bit of doubt and suspicion. I had let my thieving mind show weakness and now he suspected me now more than ever. Not only would I have to survive a vexing elf but also a suspicious man of Gondor too. He watched me as I hurried to catch up with the others and carefully followed behind. We continued our climb through Moria, stumbling over dead corpses and past more bottomless pits.

I tried my very hardest to keep looking at the path ahead of me and not at my surroundings. It was not the ring that called me this time but every bit of my body was telling me to leap to rock, snatch up some remaining mithril and bound through the endless halls. Eventually, we reached a fork in the tunnel and Gandalf had paused between the two paths.

"I have no memory of this place," he murmured, making us all concerned.

Well I hope you're ready for more waiting because that's what happened. Gandalf set his mind to the task of remembering while we sat around. I decided to isolate myself on a rock overlooking the pit below us but I turned from it and instead stared at the wall behind me. Shutting my eyes and rubbing my temples, I tried to shut the voices in my head up, to put away the way The Raven that would tell me to run and steal all I could. As I muttered to myself to replace the voices with words of my own, I sensed a presence behind me. I turned to see the familiar face of Borimir, looking at me gravely.

"You're slipping, thief," he said darkly.

"So are you," I whispered with a scared look in my eye, afraid the voices would return, "The ring calls to you,"

"Do not pretend it does not do the same to you," he retorted.

I only looked away, shutting my eyes in fear, "The mines are doing much more to me now. You're right I am slipping. It's hard to fight the thief inside, to fight the urge to hide away deep in the mines like any thief would,"

"Then I will see that you leave us when we make it out of the mines," he said sharply, making me look back to him in shock, "You have repaid your debt by now and when we reach the outside, I'll see to it that you return the gloves and leave,"

With that he left me in my sad state. It then occurred to me that I was afraid to leave the Fellowship. They all helped me forget who I once was and up until the mines, The Raven's instincts were weak in my mind and they hardly governed me. How could I leave and have The Raven come back?

"Oh! It's that way!" Gandalf exclaimed.

"He's remembered!" Merry said happily as we all rose.

Shakily I got to my feet, trying to hide any signs of weakness to avoid any more suspicion.

"No, but the air doesn't smell so foul down here," Gandalf chuckled as he began to make for the passage, "If you doubt at all, always follow your nose,"

I followed the group down the stairs and I began to notice the voices leaving me. There were fewer mithril veins and the rocks were less disordered.

"Behold the great Dwarf city of Dwellerdelf," Gandalf announced as we entered the halls

Now I was simply awe stricken, nothing spoke to me in anyway of greed. The halls stretched on for miles and there was nothing that could make me slip, everything was ordered and stripped of its riches. Nothing remained to corrupt me. We roamed the halls, utterly speechless from the massive pillars and deep tunnels. It gave me a sense of clarity, finally giving me room to breathe. I noticed that Legolas was turning his head just barely to see, me giving me a more worried look than suspicious. He seemed to have noticed my mentality slipping from before. I only answered his gaze with a glare, I didn't want him at my back the rest of the way. We walked until we reached a corner with more corpses strewn about the front of a door. Gimli was quick to follow the trail of bodies into the little room, where only more deceased dwarves lay. The dwarf wailed in grief as he kneeled before a tomb in the center of the chamber.

Roughly, I could just make out the Dwarven inscription on the coffin. Most of it was unknown to me but I could just make out 'The Lord of Moria'. It was as I feared, Moria had fallen to the goblins and we were dwelling amongst them: the slayers of the dwarves. As Gimli kneeled before the tomb, Gandalf gave his hat and staff to Pippin then reached for a book in the clutches of one of the bodies. I only looked around the room, nothing but death speaking to me. None of it wanted to be used as it seemed to have been used before by the disgusting cave dwellers: the goblins. Anything they used, I had no intention of using. So instead I focused my eyes on a small opening on the wall that let in a bit of sunlight, reminding me of the outdoors. How I missed the sun on my face, the wind on my skin, and the trees beckoning me. A faint voice brought me out of my day dream.

"We must move on, we cannot linger," Legolas murmured to Aragorn.

I turned my head and met the elf's eyes who returned my stare with an unfriendly glare. Aragorn looked at me pensively, thinking of a way to move the wizard and the dwarf along. Gandalf was still reading the dusty book, his voice becoming louder as he read it.

"They have taken the bridge and the seventh hall," Gandalf read, "We have barred the gates but cannot hold them for long…the ground shakes. Drums…drums in the deep…"

Gandalf's monologue was making my skin crawl and I only wished that he stop reading that ancient book so we could stop dwelling on the past! As he read, I felt every word bring something back to life, an old terror from the depths.

"We cannot get out," Gandalf continued as he flipped a page, "A shadow moves in the dark…We cannot get out…they are coming…"

By now, I felt like we were travelling through Sarumon's snow storm all over again as chills ran down my spine! All the dwarves around us died in suspense, knowing they could do nothing but make peace with themselves before the doors broke open. Just staring at the emptiness in their skulls made me think of my own death, this is what I would've become: a hollow skeleton with nothing but the memories of…

**Creeaak.**

A noise caught me off guard as I whipped my head over to where Pippin stood, the skull on a body was tipping over and then, almost in slow motion: it fell. It thumped all the way down a well and echoed throughout the mines and its body was sure to follow. The ruckus it made exploded the decrepit quiet of the caves, and the body even dragged a chain down with it, only making it worse! If that hadn't woken up some goblins, then they must've been deft creatures! We all just stood there at poor Pippin with exasperated expressions.

"Fool of a Took!" Gandalf snapped, "Throw yourself down next time and rid of us of your stupidity!"

The fuming wizard snatched his hat and staff back and it seemed that we were ready to move along when he stopped. Slowly, he turned back to the well, making us all aware of the noise that emanated from it.

Boom…boom…**boom.**

It shook the ground and I could hear far away cackles of the monsters that had been aroused. Borimir ran for the door and two arrows just missed him in greeting. Quickly, he shut them.

"Get back! Stay close to Gandalf!" Aragorn shouted at the hobbits who quickly scurried behind the old man.

I unsheathed my gloves as far as they could go and took a few steps back.

_I've come back to life, I'm apparently a legend… _I thought as I watched Legolas toss the two men old weapons to bar the door…_I escaped an Elven prison, tracked a group of nine with an elf in it for weeks undetected, and I survived a cracken, so of course I can survive a real battle! Right?_

When we all stepped back and readied ourselves for killing, I noticed how history was repeating. We were now the dwarves of Moria, barring the door in desperate attempt to prolong a battle. The rotting door rattled with many orcish hands pounding away at it. As the creatures tore open cracks in the door, Legolas and Aragorn let loose arrows through them, making our enemies shriek. The closer the door came to breaking, the more I felt my heart rise into my throat. What was just a few seconds seemed like a day to me and finally, the door fell. Fighting was something I had never experienced before and I realized the others were under the illusion that just because I was a legendary thief, I could fight! There was no way I could stand up to these hideous things, they were…

**SLICE! **Tooth cut through a neck!

**JAB! **Claw ran through a head!

Strangely enough, fighting came as easily as bounding through the forest or my home town! It seemed that I learned more of who I once was every day. I guess The Raven had quite a talent for combat! Rolling under swings and turning my head to dodge arrows, I ran through the mass of monsters, slicing open stomachs and even breaking necks with my hands! The mercenary jobs at home were nothing like this! I only tracked outlaws and led the guards to them but I had never killed before! I was almost certain that The Raven had killed, how else was I murdering orcs by the second?!

_I was once a killer AND a thief! _I thought.

My killing spree ended soon as a giant troll came lumbering through the wall! I had seen pictures but nothing could've prompted me for such a creature! However, this was not bad. It was only that I never thought I'd see such a large animal that spoke to me, one that had foot holes and places to grab onto that called to me. I could easily climb to its neck. But the beast would not just wait for me to scale it, instead it swung its arms around smashing everything including its tamers! So I waited for something good to distract it. For a while, it looked like nothing would keep the troll busy until it spotted Legolas.

_Perfect bait. _I thought with The Raven in my mind.

* * *

**R/R**

**next time, Gandalf takes a tumble with the Balrog!**


	8. Battle on the Bridge

**On a huge inspiration rush!**

* * *

You'd think a cave troll to be as dumb as a brain dead cow and it is but unlike a cow, it has thumbs. It swung the chain that an orc once held from its neck towards Legolas. The elf easily evaded it and continued to dodge every swing the troll brought down. But there was no time to watch! I dug Tooth and Claw into its legs and scaled up its back. When I reached the top, I raised my gloves to dig into its neck when something ran into me! Whatever it was, it knocked me off the back of the troll and sent me toppling into a pile of rubble.

"What were you doing?!" Legolas shouted as he pulled himself up.

"What were YOU doing?! You were supposed to be my bait!" I yelled right back.

"Bait?!" he asked with a look of wrath in his eyes then he looked up, "Move!"

I looked up too and rolled away just in time as the troll whipped his chain down again. Looks like I wasn't the only one with the idea of climbing to the neck. I didn't have the chance to try and climb the troll again as more orcs were coming at me. Now another thought was bugging me.

_I made an elf lose his balance. That's impressive._ I smiled as I hacked away at orc flesh.

Noticing the hobbits now being targeted, I tried to get to them but the orcs kept coming at me! Luckily, Aragorn was there, thrusting an ancient spear into the creature, keeping it from Frodo. The rest I could not see as the orcs around me kept me busy but when I cut down the last challenger, the scene was grave. Frodo had the spear stabbed into him and I felt my heart skip at least eight beats. The one who had allowed me to travel with him, to find myself, was going to die and I would be left without anyone to stand up for me! The rest was fought in the bur of my tears, killing as I hoped that somehow the hobbit would live!

When at last all the orcs lay dead, we focused on the troll. It threw away all who ran at it and I couldn't find a single opening. Finally, it raised its head in a roar and I watched Legolas draw his bow with expert aim and let an arrow fly. The Elven arrow shot straight into the animal's neck, making it slowly fall over like a tree being cut in the woods. It shook the ground when it fell and I'm sure Legolas would've given a remark such as 'who's bait now?' but no one could be sassy with the Ring Bearer dying in a corner. Aragorn crawled to his fallen body and I was just about to lose to the tears about to spill over when Frodo stirred. Aragorn pulled up the gasping hobbit and we all let out a silent sigh of relief. I sucked the tears back from my eyes, hoping no one had noticed.

"I'm alright," Frodo managed to say, "I'm not hurt…"

"You should be dead," Aragorn said in disbelief, "That strike was enough to skewer a wild boar!"

"I think there is more to this hobbit than meets the eye," Gandalf said wisely.

Frodo slowly unbuttoned his shirt to reveal a coat of mithril. Looks like we had both cheated death. We all stood in shock of the halfling's cleverness but it did not last. More shrieks from orcs and goblins could be heard in the distance.

"To the Bridge of Kazadum," Gandalf ordered.

The Fellowship ran for its life through the halls of Moria, running from the nearing sound of our enemies. At all sides, monsters swarmed towards us! Even from the cracks in the floor and ceiling, the came like insects flocking to honey and it came to a point when they surrounded us. We all were ready to fight again but yet we all knew that we could not win against such a sea of abominations. It really seemed like it was the end and I began to feel the longing of my own home. I missed Shalen. She would never guess that I was trapped in an ancient mine, about to be eaten by a horde of monsters!

_If only... _I thought as I moved my eyes to Legolas.

Before my absurd thought could've carried on, a rumbling growl quaked the grounds. The goblins began to whimper in fright and scramble amongst themselves. As the growling grew louder, they all retreated back into the crevices of darkness from where they came. But now we had to deal with the thing that managed to scare away an army of goblins just with its voice!

"What was that?" I whispered.

There was a long silence where we all looked to Gandalf for an answer but he only stood there, with a look of dread. He knew what was coming as the footsteps of a monster quaked the earth.

"A Balrog of the Ancient World," he replied gravely.

Once again, I had no clue what a Balrog was but judging by everyone's faces, it couldn't be good.

"This creature is beyond any of you…" Gandalf muttered then shouted, "RUN!"

And so we ran, leaving the halls of Dwellerdelf and into a chasm bridged by countless stairs. After a few almost falling into the depths below and flying down more and more stairs, we came to a large gap in the steps. Legolas was the first to make the jump without a single hesitation but the others weren't as fearless. At the time I didn't know what was to come nor what a Balrog was like so forgive my next action.

I couldn't help but do some showing off and I felt myself turn my back to the gap. I flipped off the ledge and skidded to a halt on the other side. Legolas would've rolled his eyes if he wasn't busy trying to calm his nerves like the rest of us. The details of the gap are actually pretty frivolous but let's just say that everyone made it across safely despite some almost not making it. Let's also just say that if it weren't for Aragorn's and Legolas's marksmanship that we would've for sure been shot down by the goblins! After making it past that trial, we continued on as fast as we could!

Finally we made it to the bridge and forgive me for ruining the mood again but at the time, I would've thought the bridge that Gandalf spoke of so much would've been more impressive! But it was just a small, skinny bridge that crossed a bottomless chasm. As we neared it, I looked back with the others just in time to see the infamous Balrog to emerge from flames and shadow. It was something of a dragon and a demon, with the eyes, fangs, and body of demon and the tail, wings, and horns of a dragon! This beast truly was something to run from! Finally, we all crossed (I was half afraid that I would fall. That would've been a terrible way to go!) but when we turned around to see if Gandalf had followed, he had not.

There he stood, confronting the demonic dragon in the center of the bridge! I had known this man to be wise and powerful but I had never guessed that he would be so brave.

"You cannot pass!" he roared at the Balrog.

"Gandalf!" Frodo shouted.

The Balrog responded to the wizard's challenge by lighting himself aflame, creating more light than I had seen at all in the mines.

"Dark fire will not avail you!" Gandalf shouted at the monster as he raised his staff, creating a shield around him.

The Balrog raised a massive, burning sword and brought it down upon the shield, making sparks fly and the bridge crack. Both drew back a bit but were not finished.

"Go back to the shadow," Gandalf scowled but the draconic demon only took a step forward and revealed a whip of fire!

"YOU. SHALL NOT. PASS!" Gandalf the Grey yelled, raising his staff and sword.

He brought them down upon the bridge with the sound of lightning and we watched as the half of the bridge the Balrog stood upon, collapsed. The beast roared in rage and despite his wings, it fell back into the dark world from where it came. For a moment, we all thought it was over and even Gandalf began to limp away. Then a sinister crack of a whip broke the silence and the Balrog's whip erupted out of the darkness and pulled on Gandalf! By the time it let go, the old man was barely holding on to what was left of the tiny bridge. I wanted to go to him but I realized I couldn't when Frodo tried the same but was stopped by Borimir. We all got one last glimpse of the wise wizard with an urgent look that told us to run but with hope in his eyes that hoped we would make it without him.

"Fly you fools!" he hissed.

And then he fell.

* * *

**R/R! Feed back is much appreciated :D**


	9. Death's Advocate

**Shout out to ElvenFox5 who isn't an immortal snob ^.-**

**I don't know what a fox elf would look like anyway... also shout out to KrystylSky who showed interest in my story!**

* * *

I never knew the man very well. I knew him as much as I did Frodo which wasn't all too well but yet I couldn't help but feel a sadness in my heart. He was the very center of the Fellowship, keeping us going when times seemed hard and even making us laugh from time to time. Without him, the group seemed hollow, like we had a hole in us. With this newly punched hole in our team, we fled from the mines, dodging arrows as we went and finally, we tasted sunlight and fresh air. Once, the outside world was all I wanted, to be rid of the riches of Moria and to make the voices stop, but now all I wanted was Gandalf with us. The fresh breath of wind didn't seem to matter to any of us as we stopped to grieve outside the mines.

Sam sat down, tears flowing from his eyes and Merry and Pippin were no better. Gimli was fighting against Borimir to go back into the mines to avenge the beloved wizard but I could tell past his anger that he too couldn't handle the sadness. I could tell Aragorn was trying to hold it in to keep the party together but I could see in his eyes despair as well. Unlike the hobbits I did not cry but I thought of the blackness Gandalf was experiencing, the idea of not existing, the feeling I had before I resurrected. Standing there, staring at the others, I went back to the mahogany coffin. But when I turned to Legolas, I saw something different. All that was there was confusion as he looked at us all. No matter how much he stared at our sorrow, he just couldn't comprehend that Gandalf was gone.

I could hear Shalen's voice in the back of my head, "Immortal snobs,"

Elves were immortal and I realized as he looked at me that this may have been the first time he had seen what death does to others. After all, he was the Prince of Mirkwood, he had no doubt lived amongst immortals his whole life, not knowing the blissful ignorance he was living in. When my somber eyes saw his bewildered ones, confusion met understanding. And of course the ignorant one would be the best one for the job to make the grieving ones move. Aragorn seemed to know Legolas wouldn't understand the sadness, and that being the case, he would feel nothing but confusion as he got them up. His eyes broke away from mine and he went to gather the others.

I only followed after Aragorn.

"Give them a moment for pity's sake!" Borimir shouted.

"By nightfall these hills will be swarming with orcs!" Aragorn retorted, "We must make for Lothlorien,"

_So Gandalf dies and now I have to go be around MORE elves. _I thought shuddering at my last encounter with an Elven city.

Eventually we were on our feet again and running down the mountain. Yet there was still that horrible emptiness within us from Gandalf's death. All of us ran like shells, no feeling within us at all and hardly any meaning in our hearts to carry on. The only thing that compelled me any longer was that we get away from those gross mines. There was no more wizard to encourage me on and without the wizard to cheer us, how could Frodo show as much faith in me that he had?

We ran for as long as we could until Aragorn allowed us to rest for a few hours in the dark of night. It was only after the others had fallen to rest that my eyes too began to drift off…

_Amin hyarya Ile a' gurtha _(I left you to die)

The voice echoed in the quiet of sleep and I felt it constrict around my neck. My feet left solid ground and I could feel something loop around my neck! Gasping for air that wouldn't come, I was left hanging in the darkness, trying to scream for help.

"Koita, more aiwe," A gentle voice ordered as I felt a tender shake. (Awake, black bird)

I felt my eyes open and a shot of cold air in my lungs. Had even been breathing while I slept?! I was still leaning against the dead tree I had fallen asleep on but I noticed my heavy breathing and my shaking body. I looked over to the speaker to find none other than Legolas. What did he want this time?! Why would he even care if I was having a spasm in my sleep, didn't he hate me? But as he looked on at me, he seemed much less hostile to me and more concerned. He had even called me The Raven in is tongue but that didn't seem to bother him in the slightest.

"Lle tyava quel?" he asked softly. (Do you feel well?)

I ignored my heart ramming at my rib cage and only nodded but then looked at him strangely.

"How do you know I speak Elvish?" I whispered.

"You were murmuring it in your sleep," he replied.

Had I uttered the words I had heard in my head aloud? I didn't know what they meant but for some reason I could tell they weren't about Gandalf but of someone in my forgotten past. But at the time, I just wanted the prince to leave me be so I could work out the voice in my dreams. Of all times, why would he care now? Since when did he show any worry for me?!

"Then you'll understand this," I muttered, my voice still shaking, "Kela," (Go away)

Shalen's Elvish lessons were paying off.

Like a stubborn dwarf, the elf did not listen and only sat next to me, making me sigh and roll my eyes.

"You were dreaming of Gandalf, weren't you?" he asked.

_That would make sense. _I thought. _Somehow I know that phrase was not intended for Gandalf but it would only make my life more complicated if I try to explain and he doesn't look like he'll leave without an answer. Best to just play along._

"Uma," I replied, looking away and crossing my arms. (Yes)

There was only a silence until I decided to turn back to him.

"You don't know death very well, do you?" I whispered, barely able to see his blonde hair in the night.

"N'uma," he answered, barely audible as he stared into the distance, "Elves are immortal. Death confuses the ones who have not witnessed it,"

"So this is your first," I asked half-heartedly in a sigh as I stared off into the void with him.

"Sadly yes. An elf of my age should already at least be able to comprehend the beginning of dying," he trailed on sadly, "But it makes my head spin every time I think of it."

This made me wonder how old he really was!

"Why are you asking me?" I asked, making him turn to me, "I assume you are, why else would you sit with me talking about death?"

"I believe I am asking you," he said, holding his gaze with trust in it.

Why was he acting so close to me now? I could only assume that it was the fact that he hadn't seen me do anything The Raven would do and the fact that Gandalf's death seemed to bind us closer. Without the old man leading us, we had to begin relying on each other. I couldn't even look to Frodo anymore he was so heartbroken!

"Well," I sighed, trying to find the right way to describe being dead as I looked up at the sky, "It's like you were never born but the memories of you linger in people's minds. You feel nothing and all you see is nothing but it does bring about clarity. Although you don't exist anymore and you know of nothing in the world, you are at peace,"

Pensively, I went back to the nothingness that consumed my mind when I was lying in a little coffin in a sketchy town. As I stared at the stars, I waited for a response but nothing came. Finally, after a very long time, looked back at Legolas only to see his face even more confused! I honestly thought that would've helped rather than making it worse!

"Mani?" I finally asked. (What?)

"You speak as though you've been dead before," he said carefully as he looked me over, probably checking to see if I wasn't a ghost.

_Guess I have to tell ONE of them eventually. _I thought. _Although I can't believe I'm telling it to the elf that hated me rather than to the hobbit that accepted me or at least Aragorn!_

I sighed a long sigh and began my tale of amnesia.

"I didn't lose my memories with a hit on the head," I scoffed, "According to the people of my town, I was tortured and hung for stealing. I guess The Raven was a bit clumsy that night. Luckily they didn't know I was a legendary thief, the town is removed from most of Middle Earth. After a day of hanging out in the middle of town, they took me to the undertaker and she stuffed me in a coffin,"

All I could think of now was Shalen's face opening the lid to my wooden prison. Her adorable freckles and curly red hair almost made me want to smile. Finally I could remember her sweet face!

"Next thing I know, I'm waking up in a suffocating box, screaming to be let out," I finished.

The thought of coming back from the dead still terrified me and I hadn't spoken of it since I met Shalen. I noticed my body had begun quaking again. Shakily, I looked up to Legolas, horrified he wouldn't believe me. But it seemed I had only made it even worse, now it looked like his head might explode from so much confusion!

"Death isn't permanent?" he asked with the most bewildered face.

_Well I think I've screwed up his notion of death. _I thought.

"When you die you stay dead," I replied firmly, "I don't know why I got a second chance,"

More silence filled the air as he looked away with more confusion, his eyes completely lost.

"Then why were you brought back?" he asked darkly, "And Gandalf was not?"

Not only had I managed to confuse his little elf brain but I also made him hate me again. Just when I thought we were starting to get along, I just had go and tell him that I miraculously came back to life! How stupid was I!?

"What gives a thief the right to come back," he scowled, glancing at Tooth and Claw, "and not a wizard?"

I couldn't find the right way to answer that one. All my life, I had killed and stole so what made me so special that allowed me to cheat death? Why couldn't I have stayed dead and why couldn't Gandalf come back? All I could do in response was pull up my knees and look away.

"How can I answer a question I am still trying to answer myself?" I muttered.

Legolas only left me with a harsh 'Quel du' (Good night). All I could do from there was wonder why I had been spared. The elf was right, I had no right to be alive.

* * *

**Things just got serious up in heeere! Sry I'm ruining the mood ^^'. Next time, Lothlorien! R/R plz**


	10. Comatose Living

**Got some shout outs before we start the chapter so heeere we go!**

**Thank you Kyle for the clever comments, they rly made me laugh! Shout out to redruby8 for your interest and encouraging review! Last but not least, thanks, flowerpower, for supporting the creativeness of this story! Reviews really make me happy and they keep me going when inspiration is low. Thank u so much for all your reviews!**

* * *

I was just about to drift off to sleep again when Aragorn decided to wake us so that we could move along. In the dim sunrise, we continued running and even my usual dexterous feet were becoming sore. We had barely stopped running since the mines! Finally, we slowed as we reached the woods of Lothlorien and like Rivendell, the trees spoke in a tranquil but menacing way. 'This is peace. Do not disturb it or else' the branches told me when I thought of climbing them with my claws. That only dampened my spirits even more. Since the night before, my heart had been weighed down with every step. Not only did I miss Gandalf but I also had to deal with the guilt that I didn't deserve to be alive.

When we passed through the woods, I just kept walking like a comatose corpse while the others had begun to move on from sorrow. None of us would ever stop grieving for the loss of the grey wizard but the rest of the group had stopped being so hollow and began hiding their emotions again. How could I do the same when I felt the shadow of death hanging over me? It kept reminding me that I shouldn't know these people, I should be rotting in the soil where all the sinners belong.

_Greetings, Raven. _A voice rang in my head.

Panicking, I looked around but saw no one who had spoken. The voice sounded like a woman's, foreboding and warning me.

_You have forgotten. _The woman's voice said again.

"Calen," a gruff voice called from behind.

I turned to see Gimli with the other hobbits, all looking around as if they had heard something too.

"Be careful," the dwarf warned as we continued through the Elven forest, "They say a sorceress dwells in this forest: an elf witch,"

_Not another. _I groaned in my head, remembering Sarumon's blizzard.

"All who look upon her, fall under her spell," Gimli continued and I noticed Frodo blink a few times as if he was also hearing a voice.

Could the voice I had heard have been the witch's?

"Well here's one dwarf she won't ensnare," he scoffed, "I have the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox,"

It was actually everyone but the dwarf who had such a skill yet we didn't see the elves that stalked us. Before we could take another step, bows were pointed with sharp arrows strung in them and nimble Elven hands wielding them. We had been completely been surrounded by elves without even realizing they were coming! I had really underestimated their ability but then again, I had been snuck up on by an elf before when I began my journey.

"The dwarf breathes so loudly that we could've shot him in the dark," an elf said stepping forward, causing Gimli to growl.

He looked like any other elf, long blonde hair and a sour face but it seemed much sterner than Legolas'. It seemed that everywhere I went, the elves were nothing but jerks! We were led with arrows pointed at our backs the whole way until we reached a sanctuary like place, high up in the trees. A whole council of elves watched us as we stood before the elf who had brought us there, waiting for our fate to be decided.

"Welcome Legolas, son of Thranduil," the elf of course spoke immediately to Legolas in Elvish.

"Our Fellowship stands in your debt," was Legolas' response, also in Elvish.

_Oh yeah, thanks SO much for leading us here after pointing arrows at us! _I thought, letting out a faint huff. _Were elves used to being tactful to bullies!?_

"Aragorn of Dunedain," the elf continued, turning to Aragorn, "You are known to us,"

Aragorn responded with a nod before Gimli interrupted.

"So much for the courtesy of the elves," he snapped, "Speak words we can all understand!"

"We have not had…dealings with the dwarves since the dark days," the elf growled in disgust, his face scrunching up at the word 'dealings'.

I believe I'll be skipping over what Gimli said as it is much too offensive to write in this tale but it was bad enough for Aragorn to grab his shoulder and looked him dead in the eyes.

"_That_ was not so courteous," he quipped.

The elf only turned his gaze to Frodo, then me, and then to Tooth and Claw.

"You bring a great evil from Sauron with you," he hissed, "and a thief, enemy to elves and men. You expect me to allow you to go further?"

This made me blink in surprise, even elves as far as Lothlorien recognized The Raven! The elf must've noticed and only chuckled.

"Did you think we did not notice?" he smirked then looked at me with disdain, "Amin feuya ten' lle," (You disgust me)

Normally, I would've shot an insult right back after being fed up with so much Elven hostility! Now however, I just took the hit, remembering what Legolas had told me: I didn't have a right to live. It didn't matter anyways, I seemed to disgust every elf no matter what I did. Aragorn stepped in there to avoid any more conflict, he would not give up so easily, striking up a whispered conversation in fierce elvish with the elf. While we waited we sat around in the dark tree tops, waiting for a conclusion to be reached. I tried to listen in and I even heard the man speak of my amnesia to the skeptical elf but after a while, my mind pulled me away.

_Maybe it's about time I just ask Borimir if I can leave. He wanted me gone anyway. _I thought somberly as I looked out into the forest. _This journey hasn't helped me find myself, only destroy myself._

It was almost ridiculous how quickly that problem was solved!

"Thief," I heard Borimir say as he came over to me.

"I have a name you know," I retorted with a hollow voice, not even bothering to look at him.

"Lady Calen…"

"Just call me Calen," I droned, still looking away.

"Calen," he finally got it right, "I just want to tell you that I want you to stay with us,"

This made me turn to him in shock. For the first time in what seemed like years, I felt a spark of hope inside me.

"W-what?" I stuttered in disbelief.

"I realize that you came on this adventure to find yourself," Borimir sighed, "And I forgot that it is not always easy to do so. It was short sighted of me to want you gone after you slipped a little. After all, to ask you to leave is to ask myself to leave. I too am slipping but under the corruption of something else,"

"The ring still calls to you," I pointed out bluntly.

"I fear so," he sighed after a long silence.

I rarely heard it anymore, fighting off impulses to fall back into crime and drowning in suicidal thoughts kept me busy enough. Just then, the elf of Lothlorien who had been arguing with Aragorn for quite some time, turned to all of us.

"Come with me," he ordered.

Out of the dark wood and into the midday forest we followed him, still being followed by archers. As I walked through the woods of Lorien, trying to look as unsuspicious as possible, I felt someone whisper in my ear.

"The only way I was able to make this deal was if we only remain here for one night," Aragorn whispered, "and if you meet with the Lord of this place,"

I shot him a look as if he was crazy as if to say 'what kind hole have you dug me into?!'

"They promise not to lay a hand on you," he whispered defensively.

_As if. _I thought with a panicked aura about me, making me put my hood up. _The last time I took a harmless visit to an Elven city, I was almost executed! What makes this any different? And at least last time it was only a general, now I have to talk with a Lord who can have me shot dead with a wave of his hand!_

I pulled my hood harder over my face to try and hide the fear that grew inside me. The Silvan elf leading us stopped, staring off at a cluster of tall, mighty trees. They stood like a mountain against the low land around it and all I could feel from it was a menacing cold. All that waited for me inside was a terrifying confrontation with MORE elves.

"Behold," he said, "Caras Galadhon, the heart of the Silvan elves. Home of Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel,"

* * *

**R/R! Next time, Karka and Rakka (Tooth and Claw) go missing!**


	11. Prophecy

**No shout outs today! If you review for the first time on this story, then you'll get one!**

* * *

The rest of the Fellowship stood in awe while I swallowed my heart back into my chest. The inside was even more breath taking and almost made me forget about the incoming doom! The trees were taller than towers and wider than lakes. Their branches seemed to bend at will to form the great sanctuary for their masters. Faint lights flickered from the trees' canopies, casting a calming glow into the shadows of the forest. It all reminded me of the fantasies I had before I met the elves: the idea that their lives were peaceful and full of contemplation rather than condemning girls to death at first sight. Still, the ever present sound of chanting seeping through the city made me a little envious. Legolas got to live in such calm most of his life, never fearing growing old while I came from a filthy village where mercenary work was all that paid decently and lynching was common (just look at how I died).

At last, we reached the top of the tallest tree in the sanctuary and watched as a soft light descended from the stairs before us. I stood in both awe and horror as the light cleared, revealing the Lord and Lady of Caras Galadhon. Luckily, Lord Celeborn looked a little less harsh than the last elf who looked down on me but when my eyes fell upon Lady Galadriel, I felt myself flinch. Right then, I knew this was the woman who had spoken in my head upon our arrival. She looked like the Elven trees, peaceful and calm but unwilling to be used as a mere resource for your own desire. Yet I could not deny that she was beautiful.

"The enemy knows that you have entered here," Lord Celeborn observed slowly as he looked us over, "What hope you had in secrecy is now gone."

Then the Lord looked among us, searching for someone he would not find until his gaze fell on me, making me squirm nervously.

"The ninth walker was believed to be a wizard," he continued on, looking down at Tooth and Claw of which I had desperately tried to hide, "not a…"

_Go on, say it: a thief. _I thought, looking away from him.

"…woman," he finished, making me look back in shock.

_I think that hurt even more! _I thought, taking offense.

Realizing he would get a chance to speak with me later, he moved on.

"Tell me where is Gandalf for I much desire to speak with him…I can no longer see him from afar,"

At this, we all exchanged awkward glances, not sure how to tell them what happened to our friend.

"Gandalf did not pass through the borders of this land," Galadriel whispered faintly but her voice was strong enough for us to hear.

I could not meet the sorcerer's eyes, for all I could think of was his right to live again. My mind was taken over by guilt all over again that my second chance should've been given to him. I even noticed Legolas looked up to the Lady, recalling what I had taught him about death: he no longer existed but his memories remained.

"He was taken by both shadow and flame," Legolas informed the Lady, "A Balrog of Morgoth,"

Lord Celeborn looked like his heart was going to stop from shock and his eyes were going to melt from sorrow! Even Galadriel who seemed to know everything looked down in sadness.

"For we went needlessly into the net of Moria," Legolas continued.

"Needless were none of the deeds of Gandalf in life," Galadriel replied, looking back up and collecting her poise, "For you do not know his full purpose,"

_What does she know? _I wondered in my head.

Then the Lady of Light turned to Gimli who was grieving as he had when we first left the mines.

"Do not let the emptiness of Khazad dum fill your heart, Gimli son of Gloin," Galadriel said sweetly to the dwarf.

Despite the usual animosity between the elves and dwarves, the woman spoke to him like an old friend and Gimli looked so touched. We had barely had a shred of kindness since we lost Gandalf! She then turned to Borimir and looked straight into his eyes as if she were speaking telepathically to him (probably was knowing her) but instead of looking happy or at least slightly disturbed, his whole face beaded with sweat. Finally he looked away from her, gasping for breath, making Galadriel look confused by his actions.

"What now becomes of this fellowship?" Lord Celeborn asked, breaking the silence, "Without Gandalf, hope is lost,"

Aragorn, the usual group leader, had no reply but only a look of confusion.

"The quest stands on the edge of a knife," Galadriel spoke for him, "Stray but a little and it will fall into the ruin of all,"

Galadriel shifted her eyes to me, staring into my green orbs pensively.

"Yet hope remains while company is true," she said as she stared at me

_What is that supposed to mean? _I thought worriedly. _She wouldn't have looked at me if it wasn't meant for me. _

"Do not let your hearts be troubled," she smiled and looked at us all, "Go now and rest for you are weary with sorrow and much toil. Tonight, you will sleep well,"

_Can't wait! _I thought, holding back an exhausted sigh. _All I need to do is get through a meeting with some intimidating elves._

"The More Aiwe will stay with us, however," Lord Celeborn added, turning to me, "We have matters to discuss,"

The rest of the fellowship didn't know about this meeting but Aragorn. They all shifted their gaze at me, especially Frodo. He didn't want anyone else to be lost and I could tell in his sad eyes that he was afraid of losing me. I looked from each hobbit, to the two men, the dwarf, and then the elf.

"I'll be alright," I said monotonously, trying to hide my nerves.

The eight left and I was left with the Lord and Lady just staring at me, making me fidget awkwardly.

"Haldir has told us of your situation," Celeborn said, looking me over, "I apologize if he said anything to offend you,"

"I've heard worse," I breathed nervously, thinking of other things a certain elf had told me.

**_There is no need to be afraid. _**Galadriel's voice rang in my head. **_We do not mean to harm you._**

****Looking into her brilliant, blue eyes, I felt a wave of calm come over me. I felt my shoulders relax and a slow sigh come out.

"May I see your gloves?" Lord Celeborn asked.

Without hesitation, I took off my gloves and cautiously handed them to the elf. Tooth and Claw looked so much more at home in the hands of their own kind. Now I saw that they were truly Elven, meant to fit the hands of an acrobatic immortal, capable to use them to the best of their ability.

"These truly are Karka and Rakka," he said in awe, looking down at them, "they have seen much bloodshed. Do you know what age these weapons come from?"

_Did he want to discuss 'matters' with more or does he just want to quiz me on things I don't know? _I thought, trying to think of an answer.

"No," I simply stated.

I barely knew a thing about Tooth or Claw except that they were antiques that I stole from Rivendell when I was The Raven.

"They were forged in the Second Age and were used in the War of Elves and Sauron," he said, looking up to me again, "One of our greatest generals wielded them, I knew her well,"

_This elf is older than I thought! He lived through the Second Age and I'd bet anything that he fought in the war! _I thought, astounded at his age.

I noticed a little sadness come into his eyes as he looked at me.

"She died in the final battle yet the gloves were passed through the generations until the line ended recently and they were gifted to Lord Elrond," he said.

More silence…My glance shifted between the Lord and Lady, not sure of what to say.

"You must forgive him," Galadriel excused the Lord, "You remind him so much of her,"

I only nodded, still unsure of what to say.

"The real reason I called you here was to see if it was all true," the Lord said, snapping out of his sorrow.

My face wrinkled in confusion, hadn't they already heard the truth from Aragorn?

"It is shocking to us that such a ravenous outlaw can become so innocent in a matter of moons through memory loss," he said calmly, "I could not be certain if you had forgotten, that is why I called you here. And to see if you possessed the real Karka and Rakka."

I only nodded, longingly looking at Tooth and Claw, wondering if I would ever get them back.

"Aragorn has told us that you are repaying your crimes through this journey," Lord Celeborn continued, "That is very brave of you,"

I felt a little blush and my eyes move from my gloves to the Lord. Never had I expected an elf to be so nice to me!

"However, it will not suffice," he said gravely.

_Not suffice?! I'm hauling myself all the way to a fiery mountain of death and slaying monsters of pure evil to redeem myself! How does that not suffice?! _I thought with an angry look.

"All I am asking…" Celeborn said, putting his hand up in defense, "…is this: after your journey, you will return to Lothlorien and we will begin trying to restore your memory. Once it has been restored, you will take us to where you have stashed your stolen goods. There are many things More Aiwe has taken from us. Then we can leave Middle Earth,"

I gulped, thinking of how some of the things I could've taken in my past were lives.

"I understand," I replied.

"I give these back to you now," he said, handing Tooth and Claw back to me.

"But…" I hesitantly raised my hand to them.

"You may have stolen them from us, but they are the only chance you'll have to succeeding in your mission and repaying your debt," he explained with a saddened look, "And the weapons belong with someone so resembling of their original master,"

Galadriel still wasn't done talking in my head, oh no! As Lord Celeborn sent me away and I descended the stairs, I heard her voice but it was much less calming this time.

**_Your days of stealing have not ended. _**She murmured darkly. **_When Tooth strikes discord, you will have stolen the most precious thing you could ever imagine. _**

* * *

**R/R plz! Next time: BOATS!**


	12. Karka and Rakka Revamped

**I had to upload this in Docx format because the Story format wasn't taking my bold/ italics thing. Concerning chapter length, I wish I could make them longer and I'm trying to right now however these are chapters I wrote a few months ago. I write ahead of the chapters that are uploaded here so I won't fall behind. I've actually had bad writer's block for a while but I promise that when they get to Helms Deep, I'll make the chapters longer (because that's what I'm writing now)**

* * *

(Let's Write) Chapter 12

I was hoping I could get away from the elf without hearing a prophecy (after all she was a sorceress of some kind) but she had gotten me just as I was trying to escape. But what had she meant?! My glove, Tooth, was foretold to strike 'discord'? What kind of discord would he strike? With this disturbing prophecy festering in my mind, I came to the pavilion where the fellowship was settling down. I too began to unpack my things until I noticed the song that rang from the treetops. It was a lament for Gandalf and every word of it hit me like a dagger. Galadriel's order to be calm had long passed and I felt my will to live slipping. Without even thinking, I crept light-footed away from the group, trying to get away from the singing. All it did to me was remind me of my second chance, the second chance _Gandalf_ deserved!

Finally, I slumped against a mighty tree, giving up on escaping the voices. The voices seemed to fill the entire forest and reach everyone's ears! I crumpled into a ball and since the prisons of Rivendell, I let the reservoir break open. No matter how desperately I tried to muffle my hiccups and sobs, they just kept coming. I tried my very best to think of Shalen and the other things that urged me to stay alive but the dark thoughts outweighed me.

_I should've suffocated in that coffin. _I though miserably. _I should've never gone on this stupid journey!_

Frodo said this journey would help me find myself, but now I wanted to forget who I was! I cried and cried until, a strange peace came over and I felt my body fall on its side into a deep sleep. That night, I slept better than I had in a long time! All my troubles left me in the void of sleep and I floated through nothingness until the stressful world brought me back again. A tiny hand was shaking me as I groaned in protest to wake up.

"Come on, Calen! It's time to go!" chimed a chipper voice.

"Maybe I should get some water," came another voice.

"We can't throw water on a lady!" the other voice snapped.

"Huh? What? I-I'm awake!" I shot up from the mossy ground, my black hair covering my vision.

Half asleep, I messily pulled my hair out of my face and looked up at Merry and Pippin groggily.

"Have ye been cryin'?" Pippin asked.

I put a hand to my face, noticing the encrusted tears and puffy eyes.

"No," I lied horribly.

The two hobbits exchanged skeptical glances at this.

As I rose, I felt that something was off. I could tell something was missing but I couldn't know for sure. My hands flew to each other, feeling for the usual gloves on them!

"T-Tooth and Claw!" I exclaimed, looking around frantically, "Where are they?!"

"We thought you left them back at the pavilion," Merry shrugged.

"N-no, they were here when I fell asleep!" I stuttered, overturning rocks desperately.

"Maybe the elves have 'em," Pippin said casually.

"What?!" I whipped my head around fiercely.

"I saw one walkin' off with them last night. I didn't think it was too important," he said defensively.

Without another word, I tore off through the woods, grabbing my stuff at the pavilion, I ran through the woods, swinging on branches and flipping over rocks. Finally I reached a river where the rest of the Fellowship was. Tooth and Claw had a way of calling me, don't ask how but I could find where they were by instinct. They all looked at me strangely as I burst through the clearing, out of breath with a crazed look on my face.

"Where were you last night?" Aragorn with a bewildered look.

Before I could answer, I heard two pairs of little feet coming from behind. I turned to see Merry and Pippin running after me, out of breath. They finally reached us, gasping for breath and we gave them a few moments to catch their breath.

"Don't run so fast!" Pippin gasped, "We could barely keep up!"

"I'm surprised you did…" I muttered with an astonished face.

Remembering the task at hand, I whirled around to the others, about to ask about my gloves when something else cut me off.

"Please stand ready to receive Lady Galadriel's blessings," an elf ordered, and we all quickly got into line.

As the Lady glided out of the woods, I tried to whip the puffiness away from my eyes. Looking down to the front of the line, I saw Legolas and all I could do was hope my gaze would kill him.

_It's YOUR fault I feel so awful all the time! _I thought spitefully. _You just had to tell me I should be dead! How can you live on so oblivious to what you've done to me!?_

I was stopped short of my glaring when Galadriel stopped before us. Nine assistants came with green cloaks and she had them fasten them around us. Pins in the shape of green leaves fastened the cloaks around us. The entire visit to Lothlorien slowly changed my outlook on elves: maybe they weren't so bad after all…oops, forgot about the prince, he was still a jerk! Then, the Lady presented us each with gifts. She gave Legolas a new bow, sturdy and perfect for a marksman such as himself. For Merry and Pippin, she gave them Elvish daggers that had been fought in wars. Sam received Elvish rope and Frodo got some vial that was referred to as 'a precious star' but I was unsure of what it did…Despite his bashfulness, Gimli worked up the courage to ask the Lady for a single hair from her head: she gave him three. When the brillian blonde woman came to me, I almost mistook her very presence as my gift. Her alone standing before me gave me a sense of awe.

I almost missed the gift she handed me.

"I believe these are yours," she said, handing me Tooth and Claw.

Carefully, I took them from her and immediately noticed something different.

"We strengthened them in the night," she explained as I slipped them on, "Let they reach your enemies so that they may not reach you first,"

The gloves almost reached my elbows now and they felt much sturdier. The engravings of 'Karka' and 'Rakka' had been redone and accented as well. Unsheathing the hooked blades, they shot out to the length of a shortsword! The Elven guards jumped a little at this that I pull out a weapon in the presence of Lady Galadriel but she only smiled at my admiration for the weapons. We left for the river before we saw what Aragorn was given but I couldn't see anything distinctive when he caught up with us. Our new motive of transport were boats, very nice ones at that! They were pure white with carvings of trees on them and even the oars matched! We were supplied with everything we could need including Elvish rations which was a strange bread called 'lembas'. I barely remembered it from when Shalen taught me about the elves but I did remember to only have a bite, or you'd have a killer stomach ache!

Originally, I was going to row one of the boats with Merry and Pippin but then came the dwarf. He was so heavy that even with Legolas at the back of the boat, it still almost flipped over. Reluctantly I sat in front of Legolas. I had really hoped I wouldn't have to be anywhere near him on the river trip. A whole day, stuck in a floating piece of wood with the world's cruelest elf! Finally, we pushed off and left the safe haven of the elves and entered back into the murderous world. By all the scowls I shot Legolas for him to not talk to me or ask what Galadriel gave me, he was able to take a hint and not bother me. Yet, I had also succeeded in making him curious.

That night, we camped at the edge of the river and this time there was no serenity of elves to help me sleep. Instead, I lay on the rocky ground, ignoring the pain in my back, and looked up to the starry sky.

_Wherever you are, Gandalf…_I thought feeling tears prickle at my eyes…_I'm sorry. I never knew you well but everyone else is devastated that you're not here. It's like the wolf pack has lost its alpha. I tried to keep it a secret, really I did, but I told that stupid prince about my resurrection. Now all I can think of when I think of him is you. I was a murder but here I am, alive. All you were was a wise wizard, making everyone brave and happy. Nothing could stop you…so why aren't you here now? Why am I alive?_

Sighing, I rolled over, thinking of how silly that was. I was never one to pray to the dead but at this point, I would do anything to feel like I had a reason to live. That night, no sleep came to me and I was well awake before Aragorn had us up and moving again. We were now on greater rivers with stronger currents and I found myself marveling at the scenery in between yawns. I even had to keep pinching myself to keep from falling asleep.

"Mankoi lle n'kaima?" a quiet voice came from behind. (Why do you not sleep?)

_Not now. _I thought, gritting my teeth.

"Mankoi lle irma sint?" I growled, trying to stay quiet so the others wouldn't hear. (Why do you want to know?)

There was a short silence while Legolas continued rowing as he searched for a reason.

"Lye Dela ten' lle," he finally replied stiffly like it was hard for him to admit. (We worry for you)

_YOU worry for ME?! You're the reason I'm so hollow! _I thought, clenching my fists.

** (In Elvish)** **"Was it something that the Lord and Lady told you?"** he asked persistently, **"We were all shocked when they asked to meet with you,"**

** "That has nothing to do with it,"** I hissed back.

** "What did they tell you? We were all curious,"** he muttered back with another question.

** "It's none of your concern,"** I growled.

I felt him twitch a little and saw him look at the banks with urgency from the corner of my eyes.

** "But enough about me,"** I smirked**, "What's got you so frightened,"**

** "I am not frightened,"** he growled after a long pause of him looking around.

**"Of course, I can tell by the way you're sitting on edge and paddling far ahead from the others,"** I smirked back at him devilishly. He'd been like this since we left, acting like something was following us.

He blinked in shock and turned around to see that he had gotten a few yards ahead of the others.

**"Thank you," **He said insincerely, his voice becoming harsher with every whisper.

**"You're not welcome," **I whispered back.

**"Why do you hate me?"**

** "I don't hate you, I just strongly dislike you"**

That shut him up. Yet it only made him more curious.

* * *

**Next time: Borimir begins his path to DEATH! Yay cuz I really don't like him. (not really a spoiler because I'm guessing you've all read the book or seen the movie or both)**


	13. But They will not See Him

**Shout out to BlossomsAtSunrise for all your reviews and amazing feed back! Love you!**

* * *

The day trailed on without a peep from anyone including the immortal behind me (Thank the stars!). We passed through chasms and even went by The Argonath, two giant statues. They were Dunedain kings and it seemed like a pilgrimage for Aragorn to see architecture of his own people. It was a little scary moving by the two kings, their toes bigger than our boats and their arms menacingly outstretched. I thought of how many years it must've taken for them to be built but it began hurting my head. A migraine to go with my drowsiness was something I didn't need so I gave up thinking about it. After floating past the kings, we reached a lake with a waterfall at the end. Luckily, Aragorn was smart enough to steer away from the drop of death and steered to shore. The bank was littered with old ruins of cloaked statues and remnants of an old dock. They only made me more uneasy.

It wasn't Legolas anymore that was on edge about something but Aragorn could sense it as well. The sense of a stalker had reached me too and I could feel a beast tailing us. I wasn't sure what but my thief senses were tingling! The hobbits started up a fire while I perched myself on a tree branch, feeling the elf's worries come to me as I felt our stalkers drawing nearer.

"We cross the lake at nightfall," Aragorn announced to the group, "Hide the boats and continue on foot. We approach Mordor at the North."

_The sooner the better. _I thought, fidgeting nervously.

"Oh yes?" Gimli questioned Aragorn, "Just a simple matter of finding our way through an impossible labyrinth of razor sharp rocks and after that, it gets even better!"

I wasn't told much about Mordor other than it was a dangerous place full of fire, darkness, and killers. The path to the place had never been explained to me but now that it was, I felt myself getting even more worked up.

"The festering, stinking marsh lands as far as the eye can see," Gimli finished with a growl.

"That is our road," Aragorn retorted, "I suggest you get some rest and recover your strength, Master Dwarf,"

"Recover my…?!" Gimli snarled then went back to mumbling to himself.

At this opportunity, Legolas strode over to Aragorn quickly with the same urgent face.

"We should leave now," I could barely hear him mutter.

_For once I agree with you._ I thought.

"No," Aragorn disagreed, "Orcs patrol the Eastern Shore. We must wait for cover of darkness,"

"It is not the Eastern Shore that worries me," Legolas replied as he warily looked out into the forest, "A shadow under threat has been growing in my mind…Something draws near…I can feel it,"

"Elves are not only immortal," I heard Shalen's voice ring in my head, "They can hear and see up to miles away. It's just another perk that makes the SOOO perfect,"

Shalen's old lessons helped me remember that if anyone knew what was chasing us: it was Legolas. He probably saw the chasers long before we even sensed them! The memory of Shalen almost made me smile but there was no time to be living in the past. Then, after a silence of scanning the forest, we heard the two words NO ONE wanted to hear.

"Where's Frodo?" Merry asked.

At this we all jumped, frantically looking around for him but he was nowhere to be found! Strangely enough, Borimir was gone too.

_Don't you dare! _I thought, hopping off the tree branch. _Don't you dare let it take you, Borimir! I'm not about to lose you! You were the last person to show me kindness and I was beginning to think you would give me the will to live but how can you do that when you're corrupted?!_

"We have to split up and find them!" I ordered to the group, making them all turned to me with shocked looks.

"What?!" I asked frantically, "Do you want them to die?!"

Aragorn looked at me for a few moments as if to ask 'who made you leader?' then only shrugged it off and nodded, taking off. I bolted into the woods, hoping our pursuers hadn't found the two first. Desperately, I sprinted through the trees, looking for any sign of an evil ring or a hobbit. Why of all times had the ring stopped calling to me?! Finally, I dug my Elvish gloves into a tree and began to scale it. When I reached a tall branch, I crawled to the edge and looked out on the forest. I scanned my surroundings for anything that spoke to me as if it had already been used by a Halfling but I heard nothing. For what seemed like ages, I leapt from tree to tree, trying different viewpoints to find the two but it was all in vain. I guess my tracking skills weren't up to par with Aragorn's.

After Tooth and Claw had dug into about twenty different trees, I felt something vibrate through the branches. From the moment I felt the trees shake and the air be filled with war cries, I knew it was our stalkers: orcs. But these were no ordinary orcs, these ones had the audacity to attack us in daylight. They had to be much different from a regular orc to do that! Quickly, I jumped from the tree I was on and tore off, putting my hood up, and unsheathing my gloves to their new, long length. When I tracked the sound of sword fighting, I found Aragorn, fighting for his life against a whole horde of orcs around a ruin site! From out of hiding, I leapt on the first on the first orc that passed me, twisting his neck parallel to the ground. That caught their attention and soon enough, I was locked in battle with half a dozen orcs.

Tooth and Claw sailed through necks and ran through eyes, even disarming the enemy whether it was by parrying or chopping an arm clean off! Legolas and Gimli followed quickly after, arrows taking down an orc every second and an axe slicing through black flesh.

"Aragorn, go!" Legolas shouted to his companion.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Aragorn run deeper into the woods as more orcs chased him.

_But wait, why are these orcs here?! _I thought, then it hit me. _The ring. They're after Frodo! He must be running! Then the least I can do is handle these monsters from getting any closer._

**Slice. Cut. Jab. Snap. Crack. Stab.**

_Shouldn't be a problem._

I cannot say for sure what happened between the Ring Bearer and Aragorn but whatever happened, I was too busy slaughtering orcs to care. I rolled under blows and tripped the beasts up, leaving them as sitting ducks for the killing blow. Gimli continued to clobber them as well and Legolas had switched to a new weapon. Now he was resorting to Elven daggers which I had never seen him use before! He used them in a similar way to Tooth and Claw but less savagely. He only chose to stab and slit throats rather than decapitating or mutilating. An orc almost grazed my chest while I was admiring his dagger skills.

_Focus, Calen! You hate him anyway, remember? Even if he is really good with daggers…_

We fought on until all of the orcs lay dead around us. All the ones that tried to escape were sniped down by Legolas. As silence was so close to coming in, a loud, bellowing noise sounded through the forest. It sounded like a horn but whose it was I couldn't say.

"The horn of Gondor," Legolas breathed.

_I guess that means Borimir!_

We took off downhill, following the horns blasts of distress, praying that Borimir wouldn't be dead! Surprisingly, Aragorn took the lead and was soon out of our sight! We ran and ran and ran and we arrived at the scene. Gimli was far behind but Legolas and I had managed to make it (although it was easy for me to keep up with an elf despite being human).The orcs were gone and Borimir lay like a pin cushion, stuck full of arrows with Aragorn kneeling over him. I almost didn't notice that Merry and Pippin were gone. They had been taken.

_I was too late. _I thought, gasping for breath. _Please don't die… I can't have another death to feel guilty about._

"I would've followed you my brother, my captain, my king, "were Borimir's last words before he died.

Another life from the fellowship: taken. Another life that deserved to be brought back.

_He died with honor and deserves to live again. _I thought, taking off my hood and letting my green eyes sparkle with tears. _I died with a noose around my neck. Why am I alive to see all these good people die?!_

"Be at peace, Son of Gondor," Aragorn whispered, kissing the man on the forehead.

Then Aragorn stood up, leaving a moment of silence. What was once a hectic battle left a serene forest strewn with bodies of beasts and blessed with the body of a man. Legolas and Gimli looked as devastated as Aragorn and the elf seemed to understand death much better now. Borimir no longer existed but he lived on in our memories forever.

"They will look for his coming at the white tower," Aragorn whispered as he stood above the body, "But they will not see him."

We stood on ceremony for a few moments, offering our last silent prayers to Borimir before we began to carry his body off. We couldn't leave his corpse to rot along with orc bodies. Little did we know that while we grieved, the Ring Bearer was venturing off on his own with a faithful companion that would follow him anywhere: even if that meant drowning.

* * *

**Little tribute to Sam's bravery there. Daw Sam is so cute! R/R please!**


	14. Run

**This one's a shortie. Sorry but I cut it short because it ends the first movie of the Lord of the Rings series.**

* * *

Frodo and Sam had reached the Eastern Shore by the time we brought Bormir's body to camp. But first thing was first, we had to give him a proper burial. But we didn't bury him in the earth, we buried him in the water. We pulled the arrows from his chest and stomach, placed him in one of the boats, and sent him down the lake, towards the waterfall. We watched him go, sword, shield, and all, downstream toward the drop until the boat disappeared over the falls.

_Goodbye._

"Hurry! Frodo and Sam have reached the Eastern Shore!" Legolas yelled as he pushed a boat into the water.

I only looked at him then looked back to the Eastern Shore, watching two little people run off into the distance. This was something Frodo had to do on his own…and Sam was coming too, of course. Aragorn only stared at the ground, grieve still painted on his face, trying to decide our next action. Instead of giving out an order like he usually did, he only silently watched the hobbits disappear.

"You mean not to follow them," Legolas said, his face dropping.

"Frodo's fate is no longer in our hands," Aragorn replied.

There was a silence among us. Aragorn was giving up!? The whole mission was to bring the ring to Mount Doom but now that we had given that duty to another, what was our purpose? Even I felt useless.

"Then it has all been in vain, the Fellowship has failed," Gimli sighed.

Slowly, we trudged up to Aragorn, awaiting some kind of order, something that would give us some kind of hope! I stood with the elf and dwarf by my side, looking at Aragorn who would not meet our eyes.

_Say something! _I pleaded in my mind. _Without a journey, I'll have nothing to keep me from dying!_

Finally, he turned to us and placed a hand on Legolas' and Gimli's shoulders, "Not if we remain true to each other,"

_I knew you wouldn't give up. _I smirked.

"We will not abandon Merry and Pippin to torment and death," he said fiercely with fire in his eyes, "Not while we have strength left!"

He turned from us and began to ready his weapons, "Leave all that can be spared behind, we travel light."

Then he turned to us and smirked, "Let us hunt some orc,"

We all had hope in our souls once more! I grinned, throwing my hood back to reveal my long, black hair and my determined green eyes. We bolted into the forest to save our little friends and for once, I forgot about all the guilt that nibbled away at my heart. I felt free as I ran through the forest, my companions by my side! This was the path I chose from the very beginning: from the dungeons of Rivendell, I decided my fate.

Run.

* * *

**Next time, we start on the second movie!**


	15. My Reason

"_Go back to the shadow!"_

_ "I realize that you came on this adventure to find yourself and I forgot that it is not always easy to do so."_

_ "I am NOT leaving you!"_

_ "JUST GO, DAMN IT!"_

I felt my whole body flinch as I awoke from my nightmare. Since we left to save the two halflings, all I had were bad dreams, filled with memories of Gandalf and Borimir's deaths. But this night, I had dreamt of something so different. The last few words were unfamiliar to me. Who was yelling at me to go and why? I was slowly discovering more about my past and rather than it exciting me, it terrified me! The past of a killer and a thief was one I did not want to know about.

Painfully, I sat up from the jagged rocks to face the night sky. We had been running for two days and it was only now that Aragorn allowed us a short break but I could see that he slept with one eye open. Even Gimli, who usually slept like a rock, had his hand on his axe as if he would be ready to run again. We all slept restlessly, especially me with all my awful dreams, but no one was as tireless as Legolas. He refused to sleep during the chase and even at night, he stayed awake, staring off into the horizon. Not long after I awoke, Aragorn called us to move on and we were once again on the journey.

My agile legs held fast and kept me going but I could just barely keep up with Aragorn and Legolas. Every step to stay close behind them came with quickened breath and aching feet. Well, at least I wasn't as bad as Gimli. The little dwarf was always far behind us, trying to make his stubby legs move faster! It almost made me laugh a bit when I looked back to see him stumbling around…but I had nothing left in me to smile. My bursts of freedom when I ran were brief and I found myself going back to the same question: why was I alive? By the end of each day, I looked like a running corpse with every inch of life sucked out of me but no one questioned it. They only assumed the cross country was taking a toll on me…except one.

I came to a screeching halt when I noticed Aragorn had stopped moving. He had his ear to the ground and seemed to be listening closely for something.

"Their pace has quickened," he said, "They must've caught our scent,"

With that, he took off sprinting faster than before! My long legs pounded against the ground after him. For another day we ran without rest and soon my shin bones and knees were screaming for mercy! I tried my best not to show weakness because Aragorn and Legolas seemed just fine but it's hard to not wince when it feels like your bones are being splintered! At sunset, there was a point when I lost sight of the two but when I rounded a corner, I found them. Aragorn kneeled before something on the ground.

"Not idly do the leaves of Lorien fall," Aragorn muttered.

I peered over his shoulder to see one of the emerald green pins that the Fellowship had been given in Lothlorien. I too still wore mine.

"They may yet be alive," Legolas breathed.

I let loose a faint sigh of relief, at least more people didn't have to die! Maybe these friends of mine would be spared still!

"Less than a day away," Aragorn said, beginning to run again.

_I won't let anyone else die! _I thought. _But if I want to keep Merry and Pippin alive, I have to keep running! I'm not about to let two innocents die and let their faces haunt my dreams!_

I took off after him, hearing Gimli panting in the distance. We ran for a little while longer until the chasm of rocks vanished and we stood before an enormous valley. It was littered with more jagged rocks but something about it gave me a kingly feel, like someone prestigious ruled over it.

"Rohan: Home of the Horse Lords," Aragorn presented the land to us.

"Oh," I said with dread in my voice.

The three (Gimli had just barely caught up) looked at me strangely.

"Well…they aren't fond of me, right?" I asked nervously, thinking of my past.

Aragorn and Legolas exchanged worried glances as if they had completely forgotten about my situation! From what they told me of The Raven, I had stolen from Gondor before, leaving raven feathers in my wake.

"…Ah…We will work something out…"Aragorn stumbled over his words, "But for now, keep your weapons hidden and your hood up. I'd like to avoid…any conflict that involves you. I wish not to lose another Fellowship member,"

_You too huh? _I thought worriedly as I took Tooth and Claw off and hid them in my cloak and put my hood over my black hair.

Aragorn turned back to the plains then turned to Legolas ho he caught looking at me with worry etched into his face. Legolas only ran out ahead of us and stopped, staring off into the field.

"Legolas, what do your elf eyes see?" Aragorn called to him.

"The Uruks turn North East!" Legolas replied, "They're taking the hobbits to Isengard!"

"All the more reason to keep moving!" I shouted without thinking, scared of losing the hobbits.

_Maybe if I just close my eyes for a few seconds…_I thought, my eyes beginning to droop.

**SLAP!**

I felt my hand whip my face, keeping me from falling asleep. I had been hitting myself since Aragorn gave us a few hours rest so I wouldn't have nightmares. It wasn't worth it to get a good rest if voices of the dead and the unknown fill your mind!

_Lights fading…_I began to feel my body lean but I caught myself, readying my hand to slap me awake.

"Lle anta est," a familiar voice whispered in the dark. (You need rest)

"Mani sii'?" I asked groggily. (What now?)

I turned my heavy eyes to Legolas who stood behind me, looking down on me although I could barely see him in the dark.

**(Bold means it's in Elvish, sorry but my vocabulary in that language is really limited)**

** "Since the mines you have been like this," **he whispered with concern, **"Barely sleeping, no life in your eyes, and no kindness towards me."**

_I'm going to kill you. _I thought, rolling my eyes and standing up to meet him.

**"You really don't know, do you?" **I hissed at him, then striding off from the others.

**"What is it that I don't know?" **he asked curiously, carefully following me at a distance.

Finally, when we were out of earshot of the others, I slowly took off my hood and turned back to him. He still had utter cluelessness written on his face but rather than hate him for it, this time I only pitied him. I guess I had been blaming him for something that he was unaware of this whole time. How was that fair?

**"Amin hiraetha. I shouldn't be blaming you," **I finally said, my voice cracking. (I'm sorry)

**"Blame me of what?" **Legolas asked, becoming more confused.

**"…The night we escaped Moria…" **I managed to say with more cracks in my voice.

I looked to my side to see Legolas there, looking at me with a pained face. He seemed to have realized where this conversation was going.

**"You…told me I didn't have a right to live…" **I spoke, tears starting to blur my vision.

Remembering that long time ago, Legolas raised a hand to comfort her, **"Calen, I…"**

** "Don't apologize!" **I retracted from his reach suddenly. Why was I so nervous about his touch? I sighed and looked at my feet, "**It was inevitable. It would've been impossible to avoid the fact. I killed and stole but I was brought back…My second chance should've been given to those who deserved it,"**

** "You shared your knowledge of death with me when I most needed it," **I heard the prince speak sincerely but I couldn't meet his eyes, **"And I thanked you with a stab in the back,"**

Shakily, I looked back at him. His face was filled with sorrow and regret. All I had done was make another member of the fellowship feel bad about themselves!

**"As I said, do not regret what you said," **I muttered shakily, **"If anything, I should be thanking you. The truth would've had to reach me eventually. I'm glad you told me what was yet to come."**

** "How can you see this as a gift?" **he asked, his low voice soothing the night air, **"I have despised you since we began this journey. It was wrong of me to persecute someone with no memory of their past,"**

** "To be honest, I didn't like you very much either," **I felt a smile tug at my lips a little as I rubbed my eyes to rid myself of tears.

Legolas smiled at this a little himself. It was the first smile in a long time that had filled me with hope rather than leave me hollow.

**"You have a reason to live," **he said on a more serious note.

**"Ar mani naa tanya?" **I muttered, my little smile drowning in the darkness. (And what is that?)

**"That is for you to find out," **Legolas replied, **"But you cannot wish the past to be undone. You are alive now and that's what's important. Gandalf and Borimir wouldn't have wanted to see you this way,"**

It seems small and insignificant. Like what he said wouldn't help at all. But it did. I had wanted to be dead because I didn't think I deserved to be alive, but now I realized something else. I wanted to be dead because no one seemed to want me. They never said anything that would make me want to be amongst the living and after Gandalf died, that's when it was at its worst. Of all people who wouldn't understand Gandalf, people looked to me. I had barely known him so no one in the Fellowship would want to talk to a girl who couldn't even sympathize with them. I had been left in the darkness, not knowing why I wanted to be dead. But now I knew, I needed someone to want me alive.

** "I didn't think anyone I wanted me alive," **I breathed, wide-eyed as I turned to the elf.

**"You are a member of the Fellowship, Calen," **he said sincerely, his blue eyes boring into my green ones, **"We do not desire you dead,"**

I felt my eyes well up in tears as a huge smile crept over my face.

**"Diole lle," **I whispered. (Thank you)

Legolas smiled back to me and nodded in response, **"Get some rest, we'll be moving again soon,"**

_I have a reason to live. I have a reason to live. I have a reason to live. I have a reason to live…that reason is him._


	16. Kanius of Calius

**I've been having really bad writers block lately but luckily I have some prewritten chapters to fall back on. Shout out to ro781727 for asking a very good question! Check out her question in the review section because the answer is 'yes'.**

* * *

For days on end, we ran. I can't say for sure but I believe it was about four days with one small break at night. Although my nightmares had been driven away by a prince, I still slept less than an hour before Aragorn got us moving again. Yet my lack of sleep hardly mattered anymore! I had a whole new reason to live, people wanted me to live, and I wasn't going to let myself become hollow again! I ran with more determination than the time I escaped from Rivendell!

_If you could just see me now, Shalen! _I thought as I broke into a smile while I sprinted.

I stole a glance to my left where Legolas ran and he actually did a double take! I bet he was thinking how strange it was that I was smiling since I hardly smiled during entire journey. I only smirked and let my adrenaline take me farther, inching myself a little farther ahead. His usual rigid expression cracked into a slight smirk as well as he ran faster, taking the lead by a few feet. Letting my feet carry me farther, I broke into a spurt of speed, passing up Aragorn who had been in the lead. Legolas was quick to follow and even began to slowly pass me up. I looked back to him and that same little smile was still staring back at me.

"Legolas! Calen! Slow down!" Aragorn called sternly, making us skid to a halt.

As the man passed us he barked at us to stay focused, making us cringe, realizing we should be taking the mission more seriously. Still, I couldn't help but see the happiness in his eyes to see me smiling again.

"And keep your hood up, Calen!" Aragorn called back to me, "We cannot risk revealing your identity!"

Reluctantly, I put the sweaty hood over my head, making it seem like I was looking through a cave crevice. Legolas' eyes dropped at this, then he took off after Aragorn. Why did he seem so disappointed? After another mile of feet aching travel, Aragorn stooped down to do some more tracking. As he scanned the ground for traces of Uruks or Hobbits, a shriek echoed through the valley. Quickly, he signaled for us to hide amongst some boulders and not a moment after we hid, the earth began to shake.

Past us rode a legion of horse riders, armor, spears, and all! Seeing all the horses reminded me of Mearokko, making my heart sink. I still wondered where he was, if he had been put down by the elves, or even sold. Just as the last horse past by us, Aragorn emerged from his hiding place.

_What are you doing?! Aren't we supposed to be avoiding contact with them! _I thought urgently. _Well I guess __**I'm **__supposed to be avoiding contact. Looks like it's time to attract as little attention to myself as possible._

"Riders of Rohan!" Aragorn called to the horse masters, "What news from the Riddermark?"

Instead of a friendly greeting in return, the men began to lead their horses towards, us slowly and gradually surrounding us. Everywhere I turned, I was met with the intimidating glare of a war horse and a sharp spear pointed at my cloaked face.

_Nice…_I thought, shooting a look to Aragorn (who luckily couldn't see my face from under my hood).

A man riding a white horse emerged from the circle of horses. He seemed to be the ring leader of the herd judging by his more prestigious armor and long blonde hair.

"What business do 2 men, an elf, and a dwarf have in this land?" he asked demandingly, his stare towering over us.

_He thinks I'm a man!? Well, at least I know my discretion skills are working well. _I thought.

"Speak quickly!" the man ordered.

"Give me your name, horse master, and I shall give you mine," Gimli sassed.

Fury lit up in the horse master's eyes as he dismounted his horse and approached the dwarf.

"I would cut off your head, _dwarf, _if it stood a little higher from the ground," the blonde man hissed.

The sound of an arrow being drawn across a string came swiftly and we all turned.

"You would die before your stroke fell!" Legolas threatened, getting dozens of spears pointed at his head.

I knew he had grown close to Gimli since the beginning of our quest but I didn't know he was that close to him! Aragron placed a firm hand on the elf's arm, making him lower his bow. If Aragorn had to keep these two in check any longer, he'd go insane.

"I am Aragorn son of Arathorn and this is Gimli son of Gloin, Legolas of the Woodland realm, and Kanius son of Calius," Aragorn explained.

_I like my new alias. _I thought.

"We are friends of Rohan, and of King Theoden," Aragorn continued.

"Theoden no longer recognizes friend from foe," the man sighed, taking off his helmet to reveal a tired warrior, "Not even his own king,"

Whoever this man was, he must've been important because Aragorn seemed shocked to see him.

"Sarumon has poisoned the mind of the king and claimed lordship over these lands," the leader scowled.

_Damn it! I thought we were done with him! _I thought, clenching my fists.

"My company are those royal to Rohan," he continued to explain, "and for that, we are banished."

Now that I looked more closely at the herd, I noticed how weary every man looked. Even their horses were drenched in sweat and looked as if they were ready to give out at any moment!

"The White Wizard is cunning," he went on, "he walks here and there they say. An old man hooded and cloaked,"

The man turned to me, making my stomach churn in fear.

"And everywhere his spies slip past our nets," he muttered.

I swear, if he had held his glare any longer, he would've ordered that I show my face! Thank heavens for Aragorn!

"We are not spies," Aragorn replied, making the man take his stare off me, "We track a group of Uruk-hai westward across the plain. They have taken two of our friends captive,"

A dark look of sorrow swept over the man's face, "The Uruks are destroyed, we slaughtered them through the night,"

"Two hobbits! Did you see two hobbits with them?!" Gimli shouted worriedly.

"They would be small, only children to your eyes," Aragorn elaborated.

"…We left none alive…" the horse master admitted.

I felt my heart drop into my belly. They were dead?! How clumsy were these men that they would kill two hobbits along with a murder of Uruks!

"We piled the carcasses and burned them," he pointed to a cloud of smoke rising in the distance.

_Idiot! _I almost shouted but I bit my tongue.

"…Dead?" Gimli muttered.

"I am sorry," the horse master said awkwardly.

More people were dying around me and all I could do was sit and watch as they fell, died on the floor of a forest, or be burned with beasts! Suddenly, the leader of the herd whistled and two steeds came out of the group. One was a light brown and the other was pure white.

"May these horses aid you better than their former masters," he said in consolation and with that he mounted his horse again.

I had spent enough time with Mearokko to know a scared horse when I saw one. These two were tense and their eyes darted every second. With their masters dead, they feared what would become of them.

"Look for your friends, but do not trust a hope," the horse master said as he began to ride off, "It has forsaken these lands,"

"We ride north!" he shouted as the herd galloped off, leaving us.

Quickly, we mounted our frightened steeds and ran to find Merry and Pippin…in hopes that somehow…they had lived.


End file.
